Going into the crucial return game this weekend Rugby Cranes’ coach Ham Onsando’s preparations have been hampered by illness and injury to key players. Hardman Robert Seguya managed to catch the rampant Red eye and is in danger of not travelling (note the press mentioned he should get back his red boots not eye), Solomon Mawanda is also among those in the sick bay. On the injury side center Timothy Mudoola is trying to shake off a niggle and so is flanker Ogwete who got injured in training. As much as this is critical Ham is not putting any brakes on his plan and intention of going for a win in Kenya in whatever shape, “the Victoria Cup is not yet lost so a win puts us back into it, if it is more than 9 points then so be it” Ham was quoted as saying. In a bid to improve the performance Ham has also rung the changes that could see versatile John Musoke return to flyhalf, with Benon Kizza returning to his favourite full-back position.  Olweny and Mawanda will be paying the price for average performances by dropping to the bench to be replaced by Scott Oluoch and Alex Mubiru respectively. The coach was optimistic saying we did many things right on Saturday but let ourselves down at critical moments. Some of the players that were brought in to perform specific functions did not and so we have to sort it out. The changes could also see the first call up for Heathen’s try scoring machine Jude Kerrmundu and the return of Denis Etuket. Prop Dennis Mugambi has also been called up from Uganda A as cover. It is also expected that Philip Karumuna second half performance will be enough to see him overtake Gama Faisal in the pecking order.  The announcement of the final squad will delayed as much as possible to allow for the recovery of the ailing players. In the meantime a correction to our last story, Kenya’s win moved them up 3 places to 38 while Uganda dropped 1 place to 43.

UG Fans travelling in Big Numbers for Nairobi game

In a related action a number of fans have committed and made preparations to travel to Nairobi to support the rugby Cranes in their quest to win in Nairobi, a first in 4 years. Numbers are estimated to be well over 100, supplemented by the URU’s generous offer of free transport for 30 leading fans to and back from Nairobi aboard one of the Sponsor’s buses, Kampala coach.