Support

We eventually got government support (i guess that it was better late than never but government really should have stepped in much earlier). The Minister of Education of Sports travelled to Dubai and gave us a pep talk at the beginning of the tournament. He was also on hand to cheer us on during our games. We each got a small monetary reward ($100 to be exact) from the government for having represented Uganda at the world cup. As much as we appreciate the support (albeit delayed) from the government it was only a drop in the ocean: it would be great if the government started to support women’s rugby (and other minority sports) especially when they are on duty for the country.

It’s amazing how much support we drummed up and it really boosted the team. We met lots of people in Dubai who did not know that Ugandans played rugby and others still who did not know where to find Uganda on the world map. Nevertheless they were excited to see us play and supported us from our first game up until our last. It is hard to find words that can capture our appreciation for all the support we got but I will try.

Thank you everyone who supported us and wished us well: your messages of support kept us going. To those who shouted themselves hoarse from the side and those who came to talk to us after our games – you helped us keep our heads up. ICEMARK – a huge thank you for your sponsorship: you really pulled out all the stops for us. Without the support of ICEMARK women's rugby in Uganda would not have developed to where it is now. Thanks also to the Uganda Rugby Union (URU) and the Uganda Women’s Rugby Association (UWRA) for all your tireless efforts to make sure things went smoothly. To the Lady Cranes 7’s management team and all the Lady Cranes players you gave your all and I thank you for that. We went, we played and we were conquered but we have not been humbled and we will fight back. We have 4 years to prepare …