With less than ten days left until the Rugby Cranes face rivals Kenya in the first leg of the Elgon Cup, coach Robert Sseguya has revealed that the team’s focus will mainly be on the Africa Gold Cup and not the Elgon Cup.
It is not the first time Soggy, as he is fondly referred to in rugby circles, has watered down the impact of the Elgon Cup on the development of Ugandan players and rugby at large.
Before last year’s first leg in Kampala, Sseguya revealed that the team’s target would be to stay in tier 1A and winning the Elgon Cup was just a small matter the team had to deal with.
“The target is Africa Cup. I don’t pay much attention to the Elgon Cup,” Sseguya said this week.
To show his insolence for the cup that is played between Uganda and Kenya, Sseguya intends to field a second string side as he prepares his top guns for the return leg in Nairobi.
The return leg of the Elgon Cup also doubled as Uganda’s first game in the chase for the Africa Cup.
“I will give a chance to the young players to prove themselves for the next level,” the former Rugby Cranes player said.
Uganda will play five international games this year: The first two will be against rivals Kenya Kenya before tackling Senegal, Tunisia, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Ready for action
Until now, Sseguya, the only man handling over 40 players, is yet to release the final team that is expected to play in tier 1A engagements.
He praises the level of commitment by the players and intends to only name the final team after the June 10 game.
“Everyone wants to play and they (players) are working hard to be on the team. They all have a chance and it is up to them to prove,”
Having failed to secure high profile build up matches, Uganda featured in two friendlies with Kenyan side Kabras Sugar and lost one game before drawing in the other.
Hooker Cyrus Wathum, who had earlier refused to join the team because of allowance woes, has since returned and will fight for a place for veteran returnee Alex Mubiru.