Uganda Women’s Rugby Update from Guest Blogger Kalie Gold

March 2006: a group of high energy women’s club and national team ruggers awaited two busloads of 20-something,  mid-level DI collegiate, American women’s players.  It was really, really hot outside.  The  visitors’ vehicles bottomed out on the dirt road rather violently at the entrance gate.  An assessment of the pitch from passenger windows came back more or less “dry, hard  ground.”  Grass there was—though nothing forgiving.   The college women were jetlagged, and their hosts anxious to size them up.

The Brown University players met a smattering of their Ugandan counterparts under the shade of the Kyandondo clubhouse in Kampala.   The initial greetings lead into a fun, intense, and completely exhausting ten days of rugby.  They played 15’s in a heat and at an altitude that Brown had never seen.   They played 7’s in an international round-robin.  The Ugandans adjusted and controlled a skill level and strategies that their usual opponents lacked.  The Ugandans brought blazing speed and

ferocious contact.  The games redefined the college players’ idea of “commitment”—in physical and mental dimensions.  The home team capitalized on emotion—attracting thousands to watch the radical new happening in Ugandan women’s sports.

Feb 27^th 2010:  I rode through the Kyandondo gate via motorbike, cautioning the driver about the rough  entrance-way.  A  co worker and I bee-lined the bar, as we were early for the 1:00pm women’s kickoff.  The pitch was much the same as in ‘06—looking pretty hard, but very playable.  Scanning for familiar faces—Christine, (the same inside center that towered over all of my Brown teammates,the same Christine who had shown our centers a thing or two about being trampled without complaint), was easy to spot.  To the question “remember me?” she responded, “Brown University, yes?”  I introduced my co-worker from Kenya, who had come along for her first look at East African women’s rugby.  Christine’s still playing for the Kyandondo  (aka Thunderbirds) squad, but she explained there had been defections to the rival Black Panthers—the women’s team from across the road.  She wasn’t happy about that*  Other players from the ’06 events were there to shake hands and share updates.    The small talk indicated the mood was a little down as we ticked towards kickoff—the Thunderbirds  lacked numbers from injuries and absences .  Someone mumbled that the Panther captain never settles for postponement—it’s forfeit or play.  I didn’t comment—but the letdown was the familiar reaction of other small, firey teams I know.  I wasn’t worried that they didn’t have numbers on this particular day, but I did want to see some of them play ball.

The ref consulted the Panther party, and they went ahead and whistled a symbolic kickoff, allowing for  symbolic try.  The game went to the Panthers.  Then, I saw a familiar face: Charlotte, one of the former Thunderbirds-turned-Panther, ran over to the u19 boys who had been playing earlier.  I wasn’t sure what was going on, but then someone noted, “ah, they’ll play the boys.” We waited.

It was true.   The Panthers had challenged the boys , and the boys accepted.  Size wise, the Panthers seemed to have the advantage.  They looked much more fit than the boys.  As Panther player-coach Helen would tell me later—the women lift twice a week and do a good deal of fitness in addition to 3x weekly practice, and these boys weren’t all that experienced.  The boys racked up some points  via breakaways in the first 20 minutes—but their handling was weak and inconsistent.

It wasn’t long before the Panthers began to exploit—muscle over the breakdowns (the women rucked all-out, which seemed to confuse the other side greatly)  go wide until hemmed to sideline, and bring it back with solid inside support  (that the boys failed to pressure).

Territory went to the Panthers, as did most rucks.  There were some great tackles.   Both sides fell into 7’s habits often, but the women delivered thoughtful, accurate passes, and put pressure on the boys to pass into useless space.

By second half, the women had put point on the board as well.  The game looked fun.

The guys let a really young kid join in at some point he looked to be about 14.  The little guy got dragged around a bit, but it was good to see the next generation.

I saw one of the guys  join in with a Panther’s jersey, a new type of defection!

Most impressive was the 17-year old girl scrumhalf who the Panthers threw into the mix—she didn’t break 5ft, but she knew what she was doing and kept cool under pressure, and didn’t seem rattled in contact.  There’s upstart talent in the pipeline!

After the match, Charlotte took us around to the Panther’s home stadium, across the street.  We shared stories of where we’d been since 2006.  The Uganda women’s national team,(where Charlotte is a powerhouse) had a groundbreaking trip to the Dubai 7’s World Cup.  She said they got beat several times, but learned quite a lot.  Meanwhile, I got to tell her about Brown’s repeat trips to the US Collegiate National Playoffs and semifinals.  I told her that Brown returned from Uganda in ’06 inspired–  by our own adventure, and by our opponents intensity and talent.  We’d taken on the founding mothers of Ugandan rugby—and well knew what an honor it was.

Charlotte said that for now, the next big happening is Elgon Cup—a June event between Kenya and Uganda.  Men’s and women’s teams will be competing for regional bragging rights.  Sounds like a not-to-be-missed tradition.  I may work in Kenya, but  I can’t wait to go and make a rukus for the Ugandan heroines.

Play smart and hit hard,

Kalie

PS-  Check out the Ugandan women’s national team blogs of their World Cup experience:

http://www.ladycranesevensworldcupbound.blogspot.com/

http://www.ladycrane7.blogspot.com/

AND

The Black Panthers blog of their rugby lives and a look at the Kampala squads’ rivalries:  http://www.blackpanthersrugbyclubuganda.blogspot.com/

*(note from opening)Christine wasn’t happy about the Panther defections, but I thought that was a good sign.   If the teams are going to keep on developing, the competition bar needs to keep rising.  If that means that players switch teams to get better coaching or better team dynamics, so be it.  They will need to keep up with eachother.   Ideally, they push eachother to be better week in and week out. Today Kampala has two full women’s teams (Black Panthers and the Thunderbirds), plus the u19 girls squad, the Rangers.