Innocent Ndawula & Ismail D. Kigongo
30 July 2008
As tension mounts ahead of Saturday's Africa Cup and 2011 World Cup qualifier against Madagascar's Markis, Rugby Cranes coach Yayiro Kasasa has promised to go for players who can handle high pressure situations.
The Markis, who were due in the country last night, play a highly physical game and Kasasa is intent on not taking any gambles thus his inclination towards experience. Last year, Uganda squandered a 19-point lead from the first leg enroute to losing the Elgon Cup to Kenya.
"Of course when you get into such a situation (winner-takes-all), all you want are players who can perform to the best of their ability. You do not want anyone to get timid and nervy," Kasasa told Daily Monitor.
"The team will play with one target - to succeed. And you need every one to be calm in these situations," the New Zealand-trained coach explained.
Although Uganda boasts three wins and one defeat against Madagascar, skipper John Musoke is in no doubt the ruggers will triumph at the weekend. "There is nothing going to stop us from winning. We shall play the only way we know how, and that is to attack relentlessly," said Musoke.
Useful retreat
Vice captain Moses Soita applauded the Entebbe retreat where the team camped at the weekend and believes that it could make the difference. "It was an invention that made the team understand themselves better and know what each member of the team can do."
The winner of Saturday's tie will qualify for the next round-robin phase of World Cup qualification and the semi-finals of the 2010 Africa Cup.
Barring any injuries, the same players will travel to Nairobi for the Elgon Cup return leg on August 19. Injured Timothy Mudoola should be fuly recovered by then.
Madagascar lost 42-11 to Uganda in last year's Africa Cup final in Antananarivo and will be seeking to avenge that humiliating defeat.
Aug 2: Africa Cup & WC
Uganda v Madagascar
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