Baby Rugby Cranes leave it late to keep Barthes Trophy status

Scrumhalf Stuart Michael in action during the Barthes Cup.(courtesy)

RUGBY Baby Rugby Cranes leave it late to keep Barthes Trophy status

12:29 - 30.04.2023

The loser of the 7th place playoff at the U20 Barthes Trophy drops to the repechage game, and Uganda looked headed there after falling behind at halftime 12-5.

The Uganda U-20 rugby team, the Baby Cranes, fought back against Madagascar to win 21-17 and avoid relegation to the Repechage game in the Barthes Trophy on Sunday morning at the Nyayo stadium in Nairobi.

The loser of the 7th place playoff at the U20 Barthes Trophy drops to the repechage game, and Uganda looked headed there after falling behind at halftime 12-5.

Shakul Kigozi’s try and Gift Wokorach’s penalty kept Uganda in the game after Safidy Nantenaina Rasoanaivo had earlier on scored two tries and Nomenjanahary Elson g Hasina converted once.

However, Robert Ssentongo and Rodney Takan crossed the white line in the second half, with Gift Wokorach scoring another penalty to seal it for the Baby Cranes.

Safidy Nantenaina Rasoanaivo touched down twice along with Julla Raharimanantena, while Nomenjanahary Elson g Hasina converted once for Madagascar.

The Baby Cranes head coach Emmanuel Kamuntu told the post-game press conference that his team settled well and managed to come back and win.

“It feels so nice to survive. The pressure is now off; we had to dig deep and believe in ourselves because we had it in us to come back,” Katuntu noted.

“It is just a few things that were not going right, so in the second half, we settled, and we managed to come back and win.”

Uganda finished a place lower than in 2022 when they came sixth in the competition.

Barthes Trophy 7th Playoff Result.

Uganda 21 – 17 Madagascar

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