By ASVG Media
Uganda’s Junior Rugby Cranes have secured promotion to the Rugby Africa U20 Barthes Trophy Performance Division after completing a commanding two-match sweep of Zambia, following up their extraordinary 81-0 opening victory with a 27-12 win at Muteesa II Stadium in Kampala. While the second encounter proved considerably more competitive, Uganda again demonstrated their superiority across key areas of the game, with flankers Sharif Tibo and Victor Agaba, centre Jacob Abaasa and lock Prince Kakaire all crossing the try line. Zambia, determined to respond after the heavy first-leg defeat, produced a much-improved performance, moving the ball with greater confidence and attacking purpose. Scrum-half Kabwe Mulenga and flanker Andrea Ngosa were rewarded with tries as the Southern Africans ensured Uganda had to work considerably harder to complete the double. With Tunisia relegated following their 38-12 defeat to Zimbabwe, Uganda have now earned their place back among the continent’s elite U20 rugby nations.
Uganda captain Elijah Kantinti acknowledged the transformation in Zambia’s performance, saying: “With regards to the last game, we had it easier, but today they really gave us a good game.” Kantinti knows the challenge will rise substantially when Uganda returns to the Performance Division and has already called on his teammates to “up the challenge” as they prepare to compete at a higher level. Zambia captain Chama Kamuntu, meanwhile, took considerable encouragement from his young team’s response, praising the players for showing the character that had been missing in the opening encounter. “It wasn’t easy, but it’s all about the heart,” Kamuntu said. “As long as you give 150 percent, everything else doesn’t matter.” The 27-12 scoreline may have confirmed another Ugandan victory, but Zambia’s improvement demonstrated the developmental value of the First Division format and provided the team with something positive to build upon.
For Uganda, promotion represents another important chapter in the country’s youth rugby development. The Junior Rugby Cranes won the second tier when Kampala hosted the championship in 2015 and most recently competed in the Performance Division in 2023, when they finished seventh. Their return now provides another opportunity to establish Uganda among Africa’s strongest emerging rugby nations, but first comes one final test in Kampala: a youth international against Zimbabwe on August 15. After scoring 108 points across their two victories over Zambia, Uganda have achieved their primary objective; the next challenge will be proving that their dominance in the First Division can translate into sustained competitiveness against the continent’s best U20 programs.
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