KAMPALA, Uganda – Herbert Mensah, President of Rugby Africa, has praised Uganda for a hosting a memorable and well organised Rugby Africa Cup tournament, admitting that the East African nation has allayed the fears of stakeholders such as the global governing body of the sport.

Ghanaian Mensah – who played club rugby in the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe in his youthful days – is steering a clear path for rugby to continue to be Africa’s fastest growing sport.

Mensah addressed media at a press conference here in Kampala on Tuesday afternoon ahead of match-day two of the Africa Cup on Wednesday, July 24. The 2024 Rugby Africa Cup, an eight-team tournament, has lived up to its billing with thousands of fans being entertained by top-class rugby from all the participating teams.

“I flew from Cape Town and I knew World Rugby, SARU(South African Rugby Union) were all eager to know, could Uganda host, how will it turn out to be, what would be thequality of the rugby to be played?,” Mensah told the reporters.

“The first day saw a high level of organisation, high quality of rugby. The performances between one and eight was very small. It was a misjudgment, it was a penalty that should have been taken, or it was a conversation that wasn’t made. The margins were so small, which means quality has risen. In Uganda you have extraordinary partners.”

Uganda is one of African countries where corporates commitfully to the sport, and Mensah paid tribute to the sponsors.  Uganda will also host next year’s Africa Cup, which will double as the final phase of the 2027 Rugby World Cupqualification.

“In Uganda you have extraordinary partners,” he remarked. “And Rugby Africa also regards Uganda as a partner. Not just this next, but next year when we bring the tournament back. I’m hugely impressed. I’m thankful to Uganda, I’m thankful to the honourable minister (of sport in Uganda, Peter Ogwang) who I have great respect for. I wish Uganda all the best.”

Godwin Kayangwe, President of the Uganda Rugby Union(URU), https://www.ugandarugby.com/, was also applauded by the African rugby supremo.

“I have an extreme soft spot for Uganda, mainly because of the efforts of your President, Godwin,” he said.

“The efforts he’s making here are quite awesome. I took over the presidency of African rugby a year ago, and the biggest challenge has been to get a mindset change within Rugby Africa, and a mindset change in the world. Africa is a continent of 1.4 billion people. I believe we have the best athletes in the world, I say it everywhere we go. If its distance runners we see it in East Africa, if it’s soccer players we see it in parts of West Africa, generally, and North Africa as well. And if we are now talking of rugby, we can talk of the emergency of Uganda as a real giant as far as Africa is concerned. It hasn’t happened by chance. It has happened because you have a union and a president who understands what the global world required today.”

Uganda’s playing standards have vastly improved over the past decade or so, with rugby in the East African nation growing rapidly to become one of the country’s major sporting codes.

“We have seen it today that Uganda is doing so well in the World Challenger Series (in the Sevens format)”, said Mensah. “Uganda is winning the Sevens in Africa, it is the champions. They came to Ghana and they won the AU Games(African Games) as well, they have set a mark.”

The Rugby Africa Cup ends here on Sunday, July 28.

Written by Enock Muchingo