Netball World Cup 2023 preview: Uganda v Singapore

Netball World Cup
Cape Town, South Africa
Today
Group D
New Zealand v Trinidad and Tobago  (10am)
Uganda v Singapore 12:00pm

She Cranes goal shooter Mary Nuba wants to use her experience having played in the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool, England to help Uganda to perform better in the 16th edition of the tournament that gets underway today in Cape Town, South Africa.

“This is going to be my second Netball World Cup appearance for the She Cranes which makes me the most experienced in the team. I, therefore, want to use that experience to help better our performance from the one we put up in Liverpool four years ago,” Nuba said.

“I know I joined the team late but I have played with them before, and we had the friendly games together, and that is enough to make me ready and the team for today's game against Singapore and even others to come in the tournament.” 

Nuba plays her professional netball in England for Loughborough Lightening Club in the Vitality Netball League.

Last season, she emerged as the top scorer for her side as well as helping them to win the league title.

There were worries about her not joining the team after failing to show up for training, while the team was still in Uganda but brought smiles on many Ugandans' faces when she connected with them in Cape Town last week.

The She Cranes will open their 2023 netball World Cup campaign against the tournament's hosts of 1983 and 1991 Singapore on court two at 12:00 pm Ugandan time.

They are in Group D which has reigning champions and five-time winners of the tournament New Zealand, Singapore, and, Trinidad and Tobago.

The majority of the players on the current team are making their debuts at this stage but head coach Fred Mugerwa is confident that this will not matter much adding that he has assembled a strong team to put up a good performance.

“A lot has been said about my team selection but as the head coach, I have full trust in every player I selected. They might be short on experience at this stage but they are fighters and are ready to throw their bodies on the line to make their country proud,” Mugerwa noted.

The She Cranes have had promising build-up matches to the tournament where they beat big sides in Scotland and Trinidad and Tobago.

During the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool, England, Peace Proscovia and Stella Oyella were Uganda's best shooters in that tournament.

Unfortunately, the two sharpshooters didn't make it to South Africa.