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Uganda face Senegal for fifth place
Prop Santos Senteza (with ball) attempts to evade tackles. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
Head coach Fred Mudoola and his charges lost 22-20 to Zimbabwe in the quarterfinal but recovered to defeat Burkina Faso 25-15 on Wednesday to set up a clash with the West Africans in the fight for fifth place.
The Uganda Rugby Cranes go into Sunday’s Rugby Africa Cup fifth place final against Senegal with focus on seeding for next year’s Rugby World Cup Qualifiers.
Head coach Fred Mudoola and his charges lost 22-20 to Zimbabwe in the quarterfinal but recovered to defeat Burkina Faso 25-15 on Wednesday to set up a clash with the West Africans in the fight for fifth place.
The biggest concern thus far is the manner in which the team has failed to show progress from the rigorous training camps that preceded the tournament.
“It (finishing fifth) will be important in next year’s seeding,” Mudoola told this publication ahead of today’s clash.
After Wednesday’s game, the Rugby Cranes were in high spirits despite the far from convincing display. The victory confirmed Uganda’s place in next year’s Rugby World Cup Qualifiers.
Mudoola will be hoping that his players have enough left in the tank to close the tournament with victory and a much better display than they have shown in the two games played.
“The game against Burkina Faso took a toll on us, the West Africans are quite big and heavy and we had two games in a space of three days,” the tactician revealed.
“We expected another tough West African challenge, not very different from Burkina Faso. They (Senegal) are very physical, brutal and direct.”
Uganda’s flaws have often been sanitized by the individual brilliance of France-based fullback Philip Wokorach, who scored 15 of the team’s 20 points against Zimbabwe.
Last dance
Mandela National Stadium, Namboole has been home to Africa’s premier competition, with the top eight facing off in a shortened version of the tournament.
Pre-tournament favourites Namibia, who have won the last six titles, were second best and fell to Zimbabwe 32-10 in semi-final to get relegated to the third place final where they will face 2022 losing finalists Kenya.
The Zimbabwe Sables will have the opportunity to win their first title since 2012 when they face Algeria, who stunned Kenya 20-12 in the other semi-final.
With a rare victory of Namibia, Zimbabwe go into today’s final as favourites but face an Algerian side that has shown great improvement in the last few years.
The final will be preceded by a third place playoff between Namibia and Kenya, the two sides that played the final held in France two years ago.
In the relegation battle, the loser between Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire will be relegated and miss next year’s World Cup Qualifiers.
Rugby Africa Cup 2024
Sunday fixtures
Main Cup Final
Algeria vs. Zimbabwe, 4pm
Third-place final
Kenya vs. Namibia, 2pm
Fifth-place final
Senegal vs. Uganda, 12pm
Seventh place final
Cote d’Ivoire vs. Burkina Faso, 10am
