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

3 Black Panthers feature for Pirates 2

Last year, I (Helen) played 60 minutes for Pirates 2 on the wing against Rams in the shield Uganda Cup semifinal. We won that game and I went ahead to warm the bench in the final (that we lost to Boks). This year, I featured for Pirates 2 (on the wing and at scrumhalf) in a loss to KK Lions and after that game Brenda Kayiyi and Charlotte Mudoola also signed for Pirates 2. Yesterday the 3 of us played in the game against Buffaloes 2. Charlotte at scrumhalf, Brenda in the centres and I at flyhalf although I moved to fullback in the second half and when Charlotte was subbed I switched to scrumhalf. Once again we lost but we had lots of fun, except when Charlotte got punched in the face in the second half - although she wanted to continue playing she could not see out of one eye so she had to be substituted.

People think we are nuts to play against guys (we probably are) but we need to play in the shield if we are to up our game. We do not get enough game time and we do not get much of a challenge playing against the Thunderbirds. On the other hand, the guys are faster and stronger (but not too big such that we cannot handle them) so we have to raise our game to match theirs and include brain power as well. We have a game against Boks coming up on April 10th and we are so looking forward to it.