Rugby Africa Cup: Uganda face relegation threat after Morocco defeat

5th place semi-finals

Senegal 28 Côte d’Ivoire 3

Uganda 12 Morocco 24

Defeats come in all shapes and sizes, but Uganda’s 24-12 capitulation against Morocco could have lasting consequences on the final day of the Rugby Africa Cup next weekend.
Instead of contesting the fifth-place playoff, the Rugby Cranes will now battle for seventh place, and for their right to remain in the top division.

Any slip-up in their final match of the tournament could result in Uganda’s relegation from the division.|

In the semi-final of the fifth-place playoff, the Rugby Cranes had a slow start and were made to pay for it, as Morocco scored two quick tries to settle their nerves.

Uganda made several trips into Moroccan territory but came away with little or no reward. Despite the pressure they mounted, they were unable to break through in the first half.

In the second half, Uganda attempted to open their account, but things unravelled further when Morocco added another try, stretching the score to 19-0 and making life even more difficult for the Ugandans.

"A lot went wrong for us. At some point, we started to play their game, and yet we had our own game plan, and that is where we fell short, in our lineouts and our scrums. We accept the result because we are the ones who played, and we have to keep our heads up for the next one," stated captain Byron Oketayot.

Uganda’s line-outs and set-pieces were particularly costly, as Morocco capitalised on those weaknesses.

The team must now regroup and focus on their seventh-place playoff, where they will need to put on their best performance to avoid relegation.

In the main Cup competition, Zimbabwe progressed to the final alongside Namibia after both teams secured crucial victories against Kenya and Algeria, respectively.