The Ugandan national netball team, the She Cranes, faced a formidable defeat against hosts Wales, losing 57-45 in the first of three test matches held on Wednesday, January 10, in Cardiff in a challenging start to their tour. This defeat served as a reality check for Uganda, as they were consistently outplayed by the Welsh team throughout the four quarters.
The She Cranes, captained by Irene Eyaru, encountered significant challenges posed by the exceptional goalkeeping skills of Wales’ Ella Powell, particularly frustrating the efforts of goal shooter Mary Nuba and attacker Irene Eyaru. Despite the defensive efforts of Faridah Kadondi and Christine Nakitto, they struggled to contain Wales’ goal-shooter Georgia Rowe, whose height and shooting prowess proved to be formidable.
Coach Fred Mugerwa faced a tactical challenge when his first-choice goalkeeper, Hannisha Muhammad, was unavailable due to her club’s refusal to release her. This forced Mugerwa to deploy Faridah Kadondi as goalkeeper in an attempt to counteract Wales’ attacking threats.
Wales secured a narrow lead in the first two quarters, ending the first with a scoreline of 14-12 and the second with 27-23, leaving Mugerwa hopeful for a comeback in the second half. However, the Feathers, as the Welsh team is known, maintained their dominance, winning the third quarter 42-34.
Although Uganda showed resilience at the start of the fourth quarter, reducing the deficit to four goals, individual mistakes, possibly attributed to fatigue, allowed Wales to exploit the situation and secure a convincing victory with a final 12-goal difference.
The victory marked sweet revenge for Wales, as they avenged their 73-56 loss to Uganda five months ago in Cape Town, South Africa, during the Netball World Cup. The Welsh team celebrated their triumph intensely.
Looking ahead, Uganda is set to return to the House of Sports court for the second and third test series against Wales on Friday and Saturday. The She Cranes are utilizing this series as preparation for the upcoming Vitality Netball Nations Cup, scheduled to begin on January 20 in England. In the Nations Cup, Uganda will face tough competition from hosts England, as well as New Zealand and Australia, as they aim to fine-tune their skills and strategies on the international stage.
