Kampala — IN THE RUCK

UGANDA'S failure to qualify for the 2009 Sevens Rugby World Cup epitomises the continued neglect of the shorter code of rugby by Uganda Rugby Union (URU). Patriotism aside in all honesty it was a very big ask to expect the team that had trained for one month to qualify for the World Cup against high profile opponents who had started their own preparations over one year ago!

Sevens can be open and there is also the possibility of an upset but there has to be a certain threshold on organisation and preparations for this to happen.

I must commend the players for putting up a very brave show in the face of insurmountable odds. The player's performance is an indication that the country has the skill and talent to excel at this game if only there are better organisation and structures.

With URU elections coming up, aspirants must have a strategic plan for the revival of sevens rugby.

The most competitive Makerere Hima Tens to date

I wonder if Paul 'Foxy' Ojiambo and Patrick Umah Tete envisaged the future magnitude of the Makerere tens, a tournament they pioneered way back in 1993 on a shoe string budget of sh 240,000 from the Give and Take Forex bureau.

The fact that the 2008 event comes after the Africa zone rugby World Cup qualifiers and the Kenya national sevens circuit means East Africa's top ruggers will converge in Kampala.

This weekend, 16 of the top teams in East Africa will battle for supremacy in the Makerere Hima tens with sh3.5m as prize money.

The top 4 Kenyan clubs led by defending champions Mwamba and mid table university side Mean machine have crossed borders in pursuit of the purse strings.

Uganda versus Kenya rivalry continues at club level. Who will win? That's a question I will be asking injured stars Mathias Ochwo and Robert Seguya in the spectator's stands.