San-Pedro, Côte d’Ivoire – Uganda’s Lady Cranes have officially booked their place in the 2025 Rugby Africa Women’s Cup after a commanding 63–7 win over Zimbabwe on the final day of the Rugby Africa Women’s Division One tournament.
The emphatic victory capped off a dominant campaign for Uganda, which swept all three of their fixtures at the round-robin event held in Côte d’Ivoire, defeating Tunisia (27–10), Côte d’Ivoire (52–0), and finally Zimbabwe.
Led by a powerful forward pack and explosive backline, the Lady Cranes were in full control throughout the tournament. Saturday’s final match saw them at their very best, dismantling Zimbabwe in a one-sided affair that underscored their superiority in the competition.
Earlier in the day, Tunisia comfortably beat hosts Côte d’Ivoire 34–0, securing second place overall. But the day — and the tournament — belonged to Uganda, whose unbeaten run not only secured them the championship but also a coveted spot in the elite tier of African women’s rugby.
The Lady Cranes will now join South Africa, Kenya, and Madagascar in the premier division of the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup later this year. All four nations were also top finishers at the Women’s Sevens tournament held in Accra, Ghana, last November, further highlighting the growing strength of African women’s rugby.
The 2025 Rugby Africa Women’s Division One tournament, organised by Rugby Africa in partnership with the Côte d’Ivoire Rugby Federation, featured four teams: Uganda, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, and hosts Côte d’Ivoire. Matches were played across three match days — April 11, 15, and 19 — in the city of San Pedro.
Final Match Day Results – Saturday, April 19, 2025:
Tunisia 34–0 Côte d’Ivoire
Uganda 63–7 Zimbabwe
With this triumph, Uganda reaffirms its place as a rising power in African women’s rugby — across both the 15s and 7s formats — and will now look ahead to taking on the continent’s best in the upcoming Rugby Africa Women’s Cup main event.
