Return leg Elgon Cup

Ok. I've neglected the blog yet again. For the return leg of the Elgon cup: Lady Cranes departed on 8th July at 9am and were involved in a nasty bus accident in Jinja. By some miracle everyone in the bus survived and apart from some knocks and bruises there were no serious injuries so the players opted to continue with their journey to Nairobi. Another bus picked them up and they arrived in Nairobi on 9th July at 4am.

Both the women's coaches opted to abandon the women at the 11th hour. URU was unaware that the coaches were not travelling and therefore had not made plans for a replacement. Come match day the Lady Cranes took to the pitch coachless but determined to win. We started off well and kept the Kenyans pinned in their half for the first 20 minutes of the game. Good enough along the way, former Lady Cranes 7s coach, David Mutaka (Mutaks) stepped in to help - it was tough for him as he didn't know three quarters of the players but he did a great job considering. However, we lost steam and the Kenyans got back into the game. We lost 16 - 8 (try by Emmanuella Oroma and penalty by Christine Kizito). And lost the Elgon Cup for the second running on aggregate (21 - 16).

Lady Cranes won 8 - 5

Ok, so Regina got to start and although she only played 20 minutes she made a fantastic try saving tackle. Kenyan winger intercepted the ball in their 22 and scampered to our 22. She looked like she'd go all the way but Gina chased and got her in our 22.

We won 8 - 5. Try by Fortunate and penalty by Christine. We could have done better. Yes, a win is a win but really ...

The return match is this Saturday (10th July). We travel by bus to Nairobi tomorrow.

Squad to Nairobi.

Forwards

Fortunate Irankunda (Black Panthers)

Warry Nambirige (Thunderbirds)

Christine Kizito (Thunderbirds)

Jackie Musoke (Thunderbirds)

Evelyn Aweku (Vice captain - Thunderbirds)

Hellen Gizamba (Black Panthers)

Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi (Thunderbirds)

Aaliyah Adania (Thunderbirds)

Rebecca Akwenyu (Black Panthers)

Sylvia Ajok (Black Panthers)

Josephine Namayega (Black Panthers)

Backs

Regina Athieno (Black Panthers)

Claire Anena (Black Panthers)

Harriet Kayonjo (Thunderbirds)

Asha Nakityo (Thunderbirds)

Prossy Nakakande (Captain - Black Panthers)

Hadijah Namuyanja (Thunderbirds)

Charlotte Mudoola (Black Panthers)

Beatrice Atim (Black Panthers)

Brenda Kayiyi (Black Panthers)

Emmanuella Oroma (Black Panthers)

Helen Buteme (Black Panthers)

Updates

Ok. I've neglected this blog for a while. The national team (Lady Cranes) travelled to Nairobi. Our tiny Regina started the game and finished the full 80 minutes. She was playing at scrumhalf and was simply awesome. She passed, she commanded the pack, she defended. Great stuff Gina but despite that we lost 8 - 0. Not good.

The first Elgon cup leg is this Saturday so we get to revenge.

11 Panthers on the squad. According to newspaper reports with Rose back the coach is undecided on whether to start her or the impressive Regina (http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/30/724376). The full team is

1. Christine Kizito (Thunderbirds)

2. Fortunate Irankunda (Black Panthers)

3. Warry Nambirige (Thunderbirds)

4. Evelyn Aweku (V/C -Thunderbirds)

5. Winnie Atyang (Thunderbirds)

6. Aaliya Adania (Thunderbirds)

7. Hellen Gizamba (Black Panthers)

8. Josephine Namayega (Black Panthers)

9. Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi (Thunderbirds)

10. Harriet Kayonjo (Thunderbirds)

11. Prossy Nakakande (Captain - Black Panthers)

12. Beatrice Atim (Black Panthers)

13. Brenda Kayiyi (Black Panthers)

14. Charlotte Mudoola (Black Panthers)

15. Helen Buteme (Black Panthers)

16. Rebecca Akwenyu (Black Panthers)

17. Jackie Musoke (Thunderbirds)

18. Claire Anena (Black Panthers)

19. Regina Athieno (Black Panthers)

20. Asha Nakityo (Thunderbirds)

21. Mary Kyoita (Thunderbirds)

22. Hadija Namuyanja (Thunderbirds)

Team manager: Edmond Owor

Assistant team manager: Anne Alan

Coach: Henry Musoke

Assistant coach: Ronnie Lutakome

Lady Cranes depart for Nairobi

Lady Cranes travel to Nairobi by road using Kampala Coach. They leave at 6.30 on Thursday morning. Once again ICEMARK-Uganda has come through and sponsored the ladies. The team remains largely intact with a couple of changes on the bench due to the unavailability of some players due to work commitments. Our pint sized Regina makes it onto the team. Yeehaaaaaaaaaa. Go Gina. Gina's inclusion on the team means that Black Panthers take up 12 slots out of the 22.

The Black Panthers on the final 22:

Rebecca Akwenyu (hooker/lock)

Claire Anena (flyhalf/flanker)

Regina Athieno (scrumhalf)

Beatrice Atim (centre/flanker)

Aisha Bahhani (back row)

Helen Butem (utility back)

Hellen Gizamba (utility forward)

Fortunate Irankunda (prop/hooker)

Brenda Kayiyi (centre/flanker)

Charlotte Mudoola (utility back)

Prossy Nakakande (utility back)

Josephine Namayega (number 8/lock)

Keep up the hard work ladies and go kick butt!

Lady Cranes survive

Lady Cranes narrowly escaped their first defeat at home after making a splendid comeback in the last minutes of their game against Kenya.

The Ugandans were down to 14 in the last 10 minutes of the first half when centre referee, Denis Anguyo, sent flanker Hellen Gizamba to the sin bin for a retaliatory uppercut on Kenya's flyhalf. Credit to the forwards for remaining superior in the scrums and lineouts and for the entire team for keeping the Kenyans off the scoresheet at that time. Despite turning over the Kenyans at their scrumdowns and rucks, stealing lineouts and having possession for a good deal of the game, the Ugandans fail to make the most of it and instead gave away two silly tries through missed tackles and a clearance kick charged down in the ingoal.

The score was 0 - 0 at halftime but the Kenyans scored shortly after the break but missed the conversion. Uganda twice came close to scoring but fluffed their chances and instead the Kenyan women scored again with about 20 minutes to go. The conversion was again missed and the Kenyans looked that they would beat Lady Cranes in Uganda for the first time ever but Lady Cranes scored twice through Fortunate Irankunda and Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi in the last 10 minutes of the game to level the score. Both conversions were missed so Lady Cranes settled for a 10 - 10 draw.

Return leg is in Nairobi on May 22nd. Lady Cranes are sponsored by ICEMARK. Bamburi has not put any money into the women's games during this series. I guess we do not give them enough mileage.

The Lady Cranes team

1. Christine Kizito - Thunderbirds

2. Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi - Thunderbirds

3. Fortunate Irankunda - Black Panthers

4. Evelyn Aweku (Vice captain) - Thunderbirds

5. Winnie Atyang - Thunderbirds (Dorothy Nekesa)

6. Aaliya Adania - Thunderbirds

7. Hellen Gizamba - Black Panthers

8. Josephine Namayega - Black Panthers

9. Prossy Nakakande (Captain) - Black Panthers

10. Claire Anena - Black Panthers (Mary Kyoita)

11. Charlotte Mudoola - Black Panthers

12. Brenda Kayiyi - Black Panthers (Joan Namuyomba)

13. Beatrice Atim - Black Panthers

14. Hadijah Namuyanja - Thunderbirds

15. Helen Buteme - Black Panthers

16. Patricia Ayebazibwe - Thunderbirds

17. Rebecca Akwenyu - Black Panthers

18. Dorothy Nekesa - Thunderbirds

19. Aisha Bahhani - Black Panthers

20. Joan Namuyomba - Thunderbirds

21. Asha Nakityo - Thunderbirds

22. Mary Kyoita - Thunderbirds

Head coach: Henry Musoke

Assistant coach: Bobby Musinguzi

Team manager: Anne Alan Sizomu

Team doctor: Joseph Kalanzi

11 Black Panthers make it to the final 22

Eleven Black Panthers players were selected to the Lady Cranes 15 aside squad for the women's international against Kenya.

Rebecca Akwenyu (hooker/lock)

Claire Anena (flyhalf/flanker)

Beatrice Atim (centre/flanker)

Aisha Bahhani (flanker)

Helen Buteme (utility back)

Hellen Gizamba (utility forward)

Fortunate Irankunda (prop/hooker)

Brenda Kayiyi (centre/flanker)

Charlotte Mudoola (winger/scrumhalf)

Prossy Nakakande (utility back)

Josephine Namayega (number 8/lock)

Well done ladies.

Emmanuella Oroma (winger) missed a call up as she fractured and dislocated her wrist during the trials 2 weeks prior to the game.

Multi-talented athletes

Our fastest players, Emmanuella Oroma and Regina Athieno took part in the national athletics trials at Namboole on Saturday. Emma raced in the senior category while Regina was in the juniors. Both ran the 100 and 200 metres while Emma also tried out her had at javelin. Regina won her events while Emma placed 4th.

Emma running the 100. She came 4th.

Regina leading the field in 100. She finished 1st.

Regina (blue top) running the 200. She won.

Emma (yellow top and bottoms) running the 200. She came 4th.

Emma having a go at the javelin.

Pirated Panthers

Brenda, Charlotte and Helen (myself) featured for Pirates 2 again this weekend. Charlotte was at scrumhalf, Brenda at 1st centre and myself at fullback. Our opponents were Boks and we won: 42 - 12 was the score. Our last game to close the reserve league will be on March 27th versus KK Lions.

Helen (in red head gear), Charlotte (in black head gear), and Brenda (standing next to Charlotte).

Mid week gym

Helen

Becky

Beatrice

Charlotte

Irene

Week 2 for Anne in the gym