Kampala, Uganda: Uganda’s Rugby Cranes 7s will not participate in the 2026 Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens Championship after Ebola-related travel restrictions imposed by Mauritius blocked the team’s entry into the island nation.
The Uganda Rugby Union confirmed the development on Wednesday, saying Mauritius authorities had temporarily restricted entry to travellers who have recently been in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan following concerns linked to the recent Ebola outbreak.
The decision means Uganda will miss the continental showpiece scheduled for June 20-21 at SPARC Stadium in Cascavelle, Mauritius.
“Due to travel restrictions imposed by Mauritius authorities following the Ebola outbreak in Uganda, our national men’s sevens team will not be able to participate in the Rugby Africa Sevens tournament,” Uganda Rugby said in a statement.
The withdrawal is a significant blow to Uganda’s ambitions on the continental rugby scene, with the Rugby Cranes 7s having targeted the championship as a crucial pathway to qualification for the HSBC Division III competition.
Uganda had entered the tournament hoping to improve on its fifth-place finish at the 2025 Rugby Africa Sevens Championship and strengthen its position on the international sevens circuit.
Following Uganda’s withdrawal, Rugby Africa approved Senegal as a replacement participant. Senegal will now compete in Pool B alongside Madagascar, Ghana and Tunisia.
Uganda Rugby Union President Godwin Arinaitwe Kayangwe said the federation remains committed to safeguarding the welfare of players, officials and supporters while exploring available options with the continental governing body.
The federation revealed that discussions are already underway with Rugby Africa and the Rugby Committee regarding alternative qualification pathways for the HSBC Division III tournament.
“The Uganda Rugby Union is actively engaging Rugby Africa and the Rugby Committee to explore possible alternatives regarding qualification for HSBC Division III,” the statement added.
The 2026 Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens Championship coincides with the 40th anniversary of Rugby Africa and will feature 12 nations divided into three pools.
Defending champions South Africa head into the competition as favourites after defeating Madagascar 28-12 in the 2025 final. Regional rivals Kenya will also be seeking a stronger campaign after finishing fourth last year following a defeat to Zimbabwe in the bronze-medal playoff.
The withdrawal is also expected to have an immediate impact on Uganda’s domestic rugby calendar.
Players who had been preparing in the national sevens camp and whose clubs remain active in the National Rugby Premiership will now return to their respective teams for the final stages of the season.
The development is likely to strengthen leading Premiership sides including Black Pirates, Heathens and Buffaloes as they prepare for the decisive phase of the domestic campaign.
Beyond the immediate disappointment, Uganda’s absence from the tournament raises fresh questions about the country’s qualification prospects for future HSBC competitions and could potentially affect ambitions of hosting an HSBC Division III event in early 2027.
Uganda Rugby has pledged to provide further updates once consultations with Rugby Africa and tournament organisers are concluded.
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