Switch focus from football to promising rugby, Mensah tells Uganda

2026-03-01 - 14:28

Rugby Africa president and World Rugby executive board member, Herbert Mensah has urged Ugandan authorities to reconsider the country’s sporting priorities and channel more resources into rugby development instead of concentrating heavily on football. “You can spend half of the taxpayers’ money on football, but you won’t win the World Cup,” he said. He maintained that with targeted and increased investment, Uganda could achieve quicker progress in rugby than in football. Speaking after the 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Rugby Africa at Kabira Country Club in Kampala on Friday, Mensah said countries such as Uganda should emulate South Africa by aligning investment with more realistic prospects of global success. Delegates from 32 member unions of Rugby Africa convened in Uganda at Kabira Country Club in Kampala for the 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM), the highest decision-making forum. In the 2025/26 financial year, Uganda allocated at least Shs 508 billion to the sports sector, with over Shs 465 billion earmarked for football infrastructure ahead of the 2025 CHAN and 2027 AFCON co-hosting. Mensah, however, argued that while many sub-Saharan African nations prioritise football, their prospects of global success may be stronger in rugby. He cited South Africa’s Springboks as an example, noting their Rugby World Cup triumphs in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023 – more than any other nation. “ The way they dismantled Ireland, it was like men and children; they went to France and dismantled the French as though it were men and children. So South Africa are doing something right. It is not just about a generative form of human beings who are stronger and harder than anybody else,” said Mensah. He added that sustained investment in rugby infrastructure had positioned South Africa for long-term success and would continue to yield dividends. Mensah challenged Uganda to rethink what he described as over-concentration on football, arguing that the country’s chances of breaking into the global football elite are slim compared to rugby, where the competitive field is narrower. He revealed that South Africa’s 10-year development plan includes integrating more than 300 schools into structured talent identification and promotion systems aimed at nurturing young players. Despite Uganda’s limited global rugby success so far, Mensah expressed optimism, pointing to the fact that 90 per cent of the national team comprises locally based players, a development he described as a positive indicator for the domestic league. Meanwhile, Uganda Rugby Union (URU) president Godwin Kayangwe was elected to the Rugby Africa executive committee. Kayangwe said URU is committed to accelerating the growth of the sport and expanding opportunities across the region. He noted that the union is actively pursuing partnerships and regional collaborations to strengthen the game, adding that it is not unrealistic to envision three or four African countries qualifying for and competing strongly at the Rugby World Cup. The AGM also adopted constitutional amendments aimed at strengthening governance and inclusion. According to Coralie Van Den Berg, regional partnerships manager for Africa at World Rugby, the revised constitution places strong emphasis on gender inclusion, requiring that decisions of the 11-member executive committee, comprising four officers, five ordinary members and two independent members — reflect gender balance, with at least five members of either gender. Van Den Berg described the revised constitution as grounded in unity, inclusion and diversity, noting a deliberate push to promote women’s rugby across the continent. Other amendments included the removal of outdated terminology and clarification of key terms such as “Constitution,” “General Assembly,” “Executive Committee” and “Members.” The term “Independent Member” was formally introduced, with two independent members added to the executive committee to provide business or professional oversight and strengthen governance. Executive committee decisions will primarily be reached by consensus. Where voting is required, outcomes will be recorded as unified decisions rather than attributing individual votes, reinforcing collective responsibility. The regional structure was also revised, replacing the former “Anglophone” and “Francophone” divisions with “North” and “South” groupings, aligning Rugby Africa’s framework with that of World Rugby. Election outcomes saw Kevin Venkiah, president of the Mauritius Rugby Union, elected treasurer of Rugby Africa, while Kayangwe secured a seat on the executive committee.