By GODFREY DUBE –
ZAMBIA coach Musonda Kaminsa declared his side ready for the Africa Rugby Sevens Championship that starts this Friday in Uganda.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s preparations for the tournament suffered a hitch after three of the 12 stars that had gone to Germany for Oktoberfest Sevens tournament vanished from the team hotel.
The Africa Sevens Championships will be played in Kampala from October 6 -7 and is the qualifier to the 2018 Hong Kong Sevens, 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens and the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Kaminsa’s crack 21-member side left early this morning for Kampala and are grouped in Pool A against the hosts, Morocco, Tunisia and Ghana.
He said in an interview before departure that the team was ready and injury free ahead of the tournament.
“The team is in good shape as we head for the challenge in Uganda. We have done all the preparations by competing in the Zambia and Maseru 7’s tournaments which helped us shape up well and be in good shape to compete for the title and qualification to the World Cup,” Kaminsa said.
Zambia kicks off the campaign against Morocco in their opening fixture on Friday before playing Uganda in the afternoon then have ties against Tunisia and Ghana in the evening.
“We have done everything to make sure the team is ready, it will be a tough competition but we are looking forward to it. The team has what it takes to win the tournament and we just have to go there and apply ourselves well,” he said.
Team Zambia has captain Israel Kalumba, Edward Mumba, Nigel Chibwe, Perry Kayamba, Trevor Squire, Carlos Kanyama, Guy Lipschitz, Emmanuel Daka, Davy Chimbukulu, Martin Chisanga, Simon Kapindu and Laston Mukosa.
And the Daily Monitor reported that Ramathan Govule, Brian Kikaawa and Fred Odur were missing when the camp regrouped to find their way back home.
They have all been training with the national side in preparation for the Africa Cup that kicks off on Saturday and the trip to Germany was to test their preparedness in the Oktoberfest Sevens where Uganda was an invitational side.
It`s not the first time for ruggers to disappear. In 2014 as the Uganda Commonwealth Games contingent was preparing to board back, Phillip Pariyo and Benon Kiiza were nowhere to be seen.
The pair has gone on to prosper in the United Kingdom where Pariyo is a professional rugby player with Wanderers RFC, while Kiiza is living a way better life according to his posts on social media.
The development is also a big blow to Uganda as they prepare to defend the Africa Cup they won last year in Nairobi. Coach Tolbert Onyango now has the task of replacing the three before Friday when the Rugby Cranes begin their title defence at Legends RFC.
Govule plays at Betway Kobs, while Kikaawa and Odur play at Hima Heathens and Toyota Buffaloes respectively.