Name: Helen Koyokoyo Buteme
Nickname: Booty, Bootsie
Occupation: Research Scientist
Date of birth: 27/05/1980
Home district: Mbale
Club: Black Panthers
Height: 5’4
Weight: 60kgs
Position(s) in 7’s: Scrumhalf, flyhalf, centre, winger
Rugby experience: 6 years
7’s Debut: Tunis CAR 7's '07
Number of 7’s tournaments: 4
15’s debut: versus Rwanda Feb '05
Number of 15’s caps: 3
How did you first get into rugby? I used to play field hockey then got disillusioned with how it was being run so I quit playing but I did not want to sit around doing nothing. I’d always loved watching rugby and both my brothers played so I thought it was something I could try out. There was a major drawback though, at that time there was no women’s rugby in Uganda so I used to play touch rugby with the men. More girls joined me and after a couple of months we were enough players to play contact rugby against each other.
Favourite local rugby players(s): Yayiro Kasasa (ex-UTL Kobs & Uganda), Edmond Tumisiime (UTL Kobs & Uganda), John Musoke (Rhinos & Uganda)
Favourite international rugby player(s): Tana Umaga, Serevi, Victor Matfield, Victor Sudi
Rugby awards won: 2004 Kabeberi 7s & Kisumu 7s MVP, 2004 Thunderbirds highest points scorer, 2004 Kyadondo player of the year, 2004 & 2005 URU women’s player of the Year, Runner up 2007 Tunis 7s, Runner up 2007 Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) 7s, Runner up WRWC qualifiers. Runner up 2008 Nelson Mandela Bay 7s
Best rugby moment: Beating Tunisia in the semi-final of the WRWC 7’s qualifier in September 2008 to qualify for the 2009 WRWC 7’s.
Worst rugby moment: Losing to South Africa in the final of the 2007 CAR 7s and losing to Tunisia in the pool stages of the WRWC 7’s qualifier in September 2008.
How does it feel knowing that you are going for the World Cup? I’m really excited about it. All the sacrifices made and the hard work paid off. It’s a dream come true. But I’m also pretty nervous. We’ve got so many people counting on us to perform well and while it’s great that they have that confidence in us it’s scary at the same time.
What do you as an individual hope to do at the World Cup that will help Lady Cranes perform well? To make every tackle and every run count and to be creative.
What do you think Uganda’s chances at the World Cup are? We are set to cause some upsets. We’ve worked hard and prepared well: I really think that we can make it to the cup quarters.
Other interests/talents: I love reading classic literature and fantasy novels. Aside from sports I’m not much good at anything else … apart from mixing G & T.
Helen Buteme was the pioneer of the first women’s rugby team (Thunderbirds) in Uganda and her number one fan is her big brother, Erika Wanda. She is the younger sister of former Uganda international, Nathan Wasolo (who incidentally wishes she would play a gentler sport). On tours when hot water runs out, Helen has been known to wait until the water heats up again – even if it means sleeping after midnight!
Nickname: Booty, Bootsie
Occupation: Research Scientist
Date of birth: 27/05/1980
Home district: Mbale
Club: Black Panthers
Height: 5’4
Weight: 60kgs
Position(s) in 7’s: Scrumhalf, flyhalf, centre, winger
Rugby experience: 6 years
7’s Debut: Tunis CAR 7's '07
Number of 7’s tournaments: 4
15’s debut: versus Rwanda Feb '05
Number of 15’s caps: 3
How did you first get into rugby? I used to play field hockey then got disillusioned with how it was being run so I quit playing but I did not want to sit around doing nothing. I’d always loved watching rugby and both my brothers played so I thought it was something I could try out. There was a major drawback though, at that time there was no women’s rugby in Uganda so I used to play touch rugby with the men. More girls joined me and after a couple of months we were enough players to play contact rugby against each other.
Favourite local rugby players(s): Yayiro Kasasa (ex-UTL Kobs & Uganda), Edmond Tumisiime (UTL Kobs & Uganda), John Musoke (Rhinos & Uganda)
Favourite international rugby player(s): Tana Umaga, Serevi, Victor Matfield, Victor Sudi
Rugby awards won: 2004 Kabeberi 7s & Kisumu 7s MVP, 2004 Thunderbirds highest points scorer, 2004 Kyadondo player of the year, 2004 & 2005 URU women’s player of the Year, Runner up 2007 Tunis 7s, Runner up 2007 Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) 7s, Runner up WRWC qualifiers. Runner up 2008 Nelson Mandela Bay 7s
Best rugby moment: Beating Tunisia in the semi-final of the WRWC 7’s qualifier in September 2008 to qualify for the 2009 WRWC 7’s.
Worst rugby moment: Losing to South Africa in the final of the 2007 CAR 7s and losing to Tunisia in the pool stages of the WRWC 7’s qualifier in September 2008.
How does it feel knowing that you are going for the World Cup? I’m really excited about it. All the sacrifices made and the hard work paid off. It’s a dream come true. But I’m also pretty nervous. We’ve got so many people counting on us to perform well and while it’s great that they have that confidence in us it’s scary at the same time.
What do you as an individual hope to do at the World Cup that will help Lady Cranes perform well? To make every tackle and every run count and to be creative.
What do you think Uganda’s chances at the World Cup are? We are set to cause some upsets. We’ve worked hard and prepared well: I really think that we can make it to the cup quarters.
Other interests/talents: I love reading classic literature and fantasy novels. Aside from sports I’m not much good at anything else … apart from mixing G & T.
Helen Buteme was the pioneer of the first women’s rugby team (Thunderbirds) in Uganda and her number one fan is her big brother, Erika Wanda. She is the younger sister of former Uganda international, Nathan Wasolo (who incidentally wishes she would play a gentler sport). On tours when hot water runs out, Helen has been known to wait until the water heats up again – even if it means sleeping after midnight!
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