As the Lady Cranes XVs prepare for the upcoming Rugby Africa Women’s Cup, Performance Division happening in Nairobi Kenya this weekend, the team in camp consists of five new faces ready to take on the competition.

Meet the Rookies

Nile Rapids RFC has been one of the local season’s standout stories, mixing grit with attacking flair to challenge the established order. Four national call-ups reward the club’s development work, and consistent performances.

Unity Namulala: Sevens Proven, 15s Ready

Unity Namulala arrives at her first 15s camp after representing Uganda in Seven’s competitions. Her pace, game awareness and tournament experience should help her transition quickly to the longer format and add dynamism to the squad.

Shaine Babirye: Award-Winning Breakthrough Star 

Shaine Babirye capped a breakthrough season by winning the Breakthrough (Young) Player of the Year award, marking her out as one of the country’s brightest emerging talents. Her athleticism, composure and match-winning instincts make her a key newcomer for the national side.

Gorreti Babirye: Consistency Rewarded 

Gorreti Babirye’s steady performances, discipline and work-rate for Nile Rapids have earned her a maiden senior call-up. Her reliability under pressure provides valuable balance to the squad.

Justin Anguchia: Rapids’ Leading Try-Scorer 

Justin Anguicha finished the season as Nile Rapids’ top try-scorer with five tries, supplying crucial finishes throughout the campaign. Her attacking instincts and finishing ability give the national selectors an established scoring threat.

Gertrude Kateesa: New Addition from Avengers 

Gertrude Kateesa was in the Lady Cranes 7s setup while playing for Lady Pacers RFC. She debuted for Uganda at Safari 7s alongside Unity Namulala, and now earns her first senior 15s call-up under Avengers where she has only played the Uganda Rugby premiership.

The athletes will be part of the team that will travel to Nairobi to play against Africa’s greats including Kenya, South Africa, and Madagascar.

See Fixtures Below

As the Lady Cranes assemble in Nairobi, the mix of fresh faces and proven performers signals a healthy pipeline for Ugandan Women’s rugby. These five rookies, bolstered by Nile Rapids’ quartet of call-ups bring speed, scoring threat, consistency that deepen the squad’s options and inject fresh energy ahead of the Performance Division.