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Seguya illness casts Makalama, Musinguzi into Rugby Cranes roles
Brian Makalama
What you need to know:
- His time on the sidelines has led him to schools, the Baby Cranes, clubs in Uganda and Kenya before he would end up working forwards at Toyota Buffaloes.
Brian Makalama bossed the front row in his heydays before retiring into coaching.
His time on the sidelines has led him to schools, the Baby Cranes, clubs in Uganda and Kenya before he would end up working forwards at Toyota Buffaloes.
This week kicked off with bad news for him and the entire rugby fraternity after his longtime friend, Rugby Cranes teammate, and national team coach Robert Seguya was diagnosed with Leukemia.
It, however, gave him the opportunity to pick up from where Seguya stopped, for now, as he undergoes treatment.
This Saturday, Makalama will take charge of training as 72 players converge to prepare for the Rugby Africa Cup and Elgon Cup.
“It is exciting to meet the group of players on Saturday. I am curious to see who will honor the call-up since that will be our first training session. First sessions are usually challenging because it sets the pace on the rest of our contact,” he says.
He will be flanked by Bobby Musinguzi, another coach whose reputation has drastically grown since he was appointed Stanbic Black Pirates coach in 2016.
He has transformed them into title contenders with a polished brand of rugby. He too fits the bill after beefing up Pirates trophy cabin with a league title.
Musinguzi has worked with schools, the Lady Cranes and Sailors which is Pirates’ feeder side.
Like Makalama, Musinguzi has garnered experience to add something to the Cranes and his appointment will excite many. The two have worked together before at Pirates and will get along with ease at a bigger stage.
“It is a huge honour to be chosen to work with the national team. As a coach, the opportunity to work with the top players and coaches in the country is something very exciting,” Musinguzi says.
“I have worked with coach Makalama before at club level and I am looking forward to another enjoyable, memorable, and ultimately successful experience with him at the national level.” He adds.
Uganda is in pool C of the Africa Cup and will face Ghana and Algeria in July.
