Rugby Africa Cup: Uganda Rugby Cranes fall to Morocco in semifinal setback

Uganda’s hopes for a top-five finish in the Rugby Africa Cup took a hit on Sunday after the Rugby Cranes fell 24–12 to Morocco’s Atlas Lions in the 5th-place semifinal. The defeat, marked by handling errors and faltering set pieces, exposed key weaknesses that the Ugandan side must address ahead of their next outing.

Morocco’s fast start stuns cranes

From the opening whistle, the Atlas Lions asserted dominance. Within the first 10 minutes, Moroccan scrumhalf Theo Bachiri darted over the line following a quick tap penalty earned from a powerful scrum, drawing first blood for the North Africans. Flyhalf Naoufal El Kadri slotted the conversion to give Morocco a 7–0 lead.

Barely moments later, Morocco doubled their advantage. Capitalizing on a second scrum free kick, Yascine Maamry took another quick tap and burst through disorganized Ugandan defense for the second try. El Kadri again added the extras, stretching the lead to 14–0 and leaving Uganda with a mountain to climb.

First half breakdown: Cranes out of sync

Uganda’s inability to settle into the match proved costly. By halftime, the match statistics painted a grim picture: lost 3 of 8 lineouts, conceded two scrum possessions, committed five handling errors in key attacking phases

Despite some promising runs and brief momentum shifts, Uganda could not convert pressure into points, trailing with little reward for their efforts.

Second half improvement

The Rugby Cranes returned from the break with renewed structure and urgency. Their defensive line held stronger, and the backline began creating opportunities. Uganda managed to put 12 points on the board, but Morocco had already extended their lead and maintained composure to close out the game.

Though spirited, the comeback was not enough, and Morocco advanced, leaving Uganda to ponder what might have been.

A time to regroup

The loss means Uganda will now compete for seventh place; a far cry from their ambitions at the start of the tournament. The Cranes’ coaching staff will be tasked with tightening up the set-piece execution, improving decision-making under pressure, and instilling discipline ahead of their final fixture.

While the defeat stings, the Rugby Cranes remain a developing force on the continent. With lessons learned and adjustments made, they’ll aim to bounce back stronger in their next outing.