Uganda’s men’s rugby sevens team is gearing up for its fifth consecutive appearance in the HSBC 7s Challenger Series, set to kick off on March 1 at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town. Co-captains Nobert Okeny and Alex Aturinda will lead a revamped squad featuring several debutants, as head coach Tolbert Onyango looks to strike a balance between experience and youthful energy.
Uganda has named a 16-man squad for the tournament, with 12 players traveling for the opening two rounds in Cape Town from March 1-2 and March 7-8. The remaining four will stay on standby for potential inclusion in later rounds in Krakow and Los Angeles.
Uganda Men’s Squad for the 2025 7s Challenger Series (debutants):*
Travelling Squad:
- Alex Aturinda (co-captain)
- Nobert Okeny (co-captain)
- Allan Olango Olweny
- Patrick Okello
- Arnold Jones Ocen*
- Allan Amaire Karuhanga*
- Malcolm Daniel Okello
- Karim Arinaitwe
- Aaron Tukei
- Roy Batholomew Kizito
- Kamiza Ndoboli Jones*
- Daniel Oketa Otim
Technical Bench:
Michael Wandera (team manager)
Tolbert Onyango (head coach)
Allan Seamus Otim (S&C coach)
Samuel Asiimwe Rwakijuma (physiotherapist)
Non-travelling Reserves:
13. Humphrey Ndahura Aina
14. Stuart Michael Mwayi*
15. Julius Opio
16. Arthur Opio Thomas*
The Cranes find themselves in Pool C alongside Samoa and Brazil. Their campaign begins against Brazil at 11:22 a.m. EAT on March 1, followed by a crucial clash against Samoa at 5:59 p.m. EAT. The team will aim for a strong performance to secure a top-eight finish, which would earn them a spot in the final round in Krakow on April 11-12. The ultimate goal is to finish in the top four across all three rounds and qualify for the high-stakes HSBC SVNS Playoff in Los Angeles on May 3-4, where promotion to the elite series will be on the line.
The tournament, designed to promote global rugby sevens development, will see competition from all six World Rugby regions. Uganda will look to emulate the success of Kenya and Uruguay, who gained promotion from the Challenger Series last year. With a mix of emerging talent and seasoned leadership, Uganda is set to make a strong statement on the global stage.
By Kauki Sulaiman