Rugby 7s: Onyango names squad for Munich Challenger Series

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Rugby Cranes Sevens head coach Tolbert Onyango on Thursday released a 12-man squad set to represent Uganda in the last round of the World Rugby HSBC Challenger Series set for May 18-19 in Munich, Germany.

The team has five series debutants: Aaron Tukei, Mark Osuna, Karim Arinaitwe, Allan Olango, and Mubaraka Wandera.

Davis Shimwa and Roy Kizito have returned after missing the Montevideo (Uruguay) event but were present in the first round of the series in Dubai.

The team will be under the captaincy of William Nkore who also missed the Montevideo harsh conditions.

In Munich, Uganda will be playing for nothing else but pride after the chances of qualifying for the 2024-2025 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series were buried in Montevideo when the team failed to make it to the final.

Alex Atulinda, Timothy Mugisha, Nobert Okeny, and Denis Etwau are the players who traveled to Montevideo and have made the traveling squad to Munich.

Philip Wokorach, Adrian Kasito, Captain Ian Munyani, Aaron Ofoyrwoth, Timothy Kisiga, Isaac Masangazira, and Pius Ogena are the experienced players left behind.

“We have been with many players in the camp but not getting the opportunity, but this is the time for them to also get the exposure,” Onyango said after he was asked why he chose his squad that way.

Uganda is in Pool B alongside Mexico, Tonga, and Hong Kong China.

The full squad features:

Alex Aturinda, Timothy Mugisha, Shimwa Davis, Tukei Aaron, Nkore William, Nobert Sexton Okeny, Etwau Denis, Mark Osuna, Karim Arinaitwe, Olango Allan, Roy Kizito and Mubarak Wandera.

Currently, Uganda stands 8th with 14 points on the men’s table standings of the Challengers series.

The top four teams after the Munich event will qualify for the final qualifier in Madrid between May 30 and June 2 this year.

These four teams will be joined by the four teams that finished bottom in the World Rugby Sevens series: United States, Spain, Samoa, and Canada.

The semifinalists will gain a slot in the 2024-2025 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.