Uganda’s rugby hopes receive an unexpected boost after the Africa Men’s Sevens delay
Just hours after it appeared Uganda Rugby Cranes would be missing out on one of Africa’s premier rugby tournaments, their dreams have been given a second chance.
On Monday, Rugby Africa confirmed plans to postpone the 2026 Africa Men’s Sevens Championship, originally scheduled for June 20-21 in Mauritius. The tournament was originally postponed at the last minute due to concerns from Mauritian officials relating to public health.
Rugby experts at Bettingtop10 Uganda learned that, had the tournament gone ahead as planned, Uganda would have been ineligible to attend after being forced to withdraw last week due to travel restrictions related to Ebola concerns in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan. Instead, Uganda Rugby now hopes to attend the Championship after all.
Heartbreak Turned Hope?
Last Friday, Uganda Rugby announced that the Rugby Cranes Sevens would not be travelling to Mauritius for June’s Africa Men’s Sevens Championship due to travel restrictions being placed on travellers from Uganda, DR Congo, and South Sudan. In Uganda Rugby’s announcement, Senegal was listed as their replacement should they be forced to withdraw.
It was a devastating blow for the Cranes, who had been eagerly preparing for the tournament. It was viewed as a major opportunity to showcase themselves against some of Africa’s top Sevens programs. Thankfully, for rugby fans in Uganda, sport isn’t always fair.
Africa Men’s Sevens Championship Postponement
In a joint statement from Rugby Africa and Mauritius Rugby Union, officials confirmed the decision to postpone came from Ebola fears. Despite no reported cases of Ebola within any of the competing teams, tournament officials, or Mauritius as a whole, officials have opted to take their advice regarding hosting international events and mass gatherings based on the current public health crisis.
Rugby Africa was sure to point out that the tournament has been postponed, not canceled.
It’s a subtle difference. But an important one for Uganda. Even with the postponement, officials with Uganda Rugby had already reached out to Rugby Africa about potential qualification and alternative opportunities if they withdraw from June’s tournament.
While we don’t know when the tournament will be rescheduled until further notice, those discussions could prove to be critical. There is now a chance that Rugby Cranes could compete on the continent after all. Instead of watching from the sidelines, players can once again dream of stepping onto the field against some of Africa’s best.
A high-stakes tournament awaits
The Africa Men’s Sevens Championship is one of the most competitive tournaments on the continent and features many of Africa’s top Sevens nations. Nations set to compete in Mauritius this June included: South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Madagascar, Morocco, Tunisia, Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Mauritius.
The defending champions in South Africa will look to cement their dominance throughout Africa. Newcomers like Kenya, Morocco, and Tunisia will aim to prove they can compete with Africa’s big boys.
Performances in the tournament can play a major factor in qualification and future rugby pathway opportunities, so for Uganda, a chance to prove themselves on this stage can’t be missed.
East Africa watches closely
East Africa will have a lot to play for when the tournament tips off on June 20th. Regional rivals Kenya and Uganda were both expected to provide strong showings representing East Africa on the rugby stage. Add in a potentially reinstated Uganda Rugby Cranes team, and you have all the ingredients for a must-watch tournament.
Ugandan fans who have had to say goodbye to their team’s chance at continental glory can now hold out hope that they’ll see The Cranes in action against the continent’s best.
The countdown to June 20 has now become a wait to see when the Rugby Africa and Mauritius Rugby Union will lift the whistle again.
For now, we wait. Rugby Africa and the Mauritius Rugby Union are assessing options with government officials and World Rugby to determine the next available dates for the competition.