Kyadondo Rugby Grounds to host Rugby Africa HSBC Division III Qualifier

Kyadondo Rugby Grounds will host the Rugby Africa HSBC Division III qualifiers scheduled for September 26-27 in Kampala, Uganda.

The tournament is set to attract 8 men’s teams from across Africa for 2 days of mouth-watering sevens rugby at the de facto home of Ugandan Rugby.

This tournament was set up after the split from the Rugby Africa 7s, which will happen in Mauritius from October 3 to 4.

The top two African sides, South Africa’s Blitzboks and Kenya’s Shujaa, will compete in the Rugby Africa 7s, while the next best 8 teams, including Uganda, shall play the qualifiers in Kampala.

On the line is the coveted ticket to the HSBC Division III tournament, which is a pathway to Division II.

The Division III tournament is earmarked for January 2027, and Uganda is lining herself up as a potential host for this global showpiece at the Hoima City Stadium. This ambition to become a global destination for sporting events is partially driving Uganda Rugby to ensure the best preparation for the Rugby Cranes 7s to play before a home crowd in 2027.

When Uganda last hosted the Rugby Africa 7s in 2022, Kyadondo Rugby Grounds were the venue where the Rugby Cranes 7s made the home crowd proud. That win earned Uganda qualification to the HSBC Challenger Series, which was the second tier of the tournament then. This year, the stakes are higher, and Team Uganda is playing on familiar turf, which should be an added advantage.

In the past, Kyadondo Rugby Grounds were nicknamed “Swamp Nou”, but the drainage and turf have since been upgraded to meet playing and player safety standards. This improvement was evidenced at the recently concluded Kyadondo 7s in the National 7s, where the ground remained playable despite the rains.