A few years ago I was rather disappointed to read in the newspapers the Uganda National Rugby Team referred to as the Rugby Cranes. I think that was when we started participating in the CAR tournament and getting some good results. Rugby Cranes? Why Rugby Cranes, I asked myself. It simply does not fit for a rugby team of a national status. Think of a typical newspaper headline like the 'Rugby Cranes maul..' or overrun or whatever the Tanzanian Lions (for arguments sake). It is simply not appealing? May be the Lions can overrun the Cranes, but not the other way round.

My assumption is that the decision to call our National Rugby team was lazily and hastily taken. I guess there was not much thought given to it. It must have been as simple as National Rugby team? It must be the Rugby Cranes.

I don?t have to mention names of other national rugby teams. You just have to mention the name, and the message to your opponents will be loud and clear.

It is time we forged our own name. It could be from one of our elegant animals like the Lions, Buffaloes, Elephants, crocodiles, hippos or some other name fitting of a rugby team, not our lovely and gentle crane. It can not rack, maul or tackle. We need a name that will exclusively be associated with the ruggers, like the national boxers? You read
Bombers in the papers and you know straight away it is about boxing. For Cranes you need to go further to see if it is football or rugby.

Everyone knows the Cranes are the National football team and rightly so as they have the lions share of fans for any sport in Uganda.

We should also not forget that there is a lot of fatigue from fans associated with the Cranes (Football team) lack of success in recent years. This fatigue will engulf us, perhaps by pretence if we continue calling ourselves Cranes.

Let's start the search for a new name and re-brand our game. I am sure more fans will come aboard.

This is just food for thought. Your opinions and comments are welcome.

Thadeus Ssozi,

Vienna, Austria