The head coach of Uganda's Netball national team, Fred Mugerwa has said his team is prepared to perform well at the Vitality Netball Nations Cup.
Uganda was invited along with top-ranked teams Australia and New Zealand for the competition taking place January 20-28 at Wembley Arena, London, and First Direct Arena, Leeds.
But before the Vitality Netball Nations Cup, the Uganda She Cranes will play three matches against Wales in Cardiff between January 10-13, 2024. "This is a very good chance for us to go and prove a point against the top world netball playing teams. We are going to cause some shocks and make sure that we get some points that will help us better our world ranking," said Mugerwa.
The veteran coach explained to Xinhua on Friday night before the team traveled that he has picked some new young players who have been performing well at the local level. "We need to get some of the players to get this international exposure as we also build a strong team," Mugerwa added.
Irene Eyaru, the team captain, told Xinhua that they are determined to go and make Uganda proud. "It is always a blessing and great to represent the country. We shall make sure we carry the flag high by performing well," Eyaru, an experienced captain who was also part of the team that played in the World Cup in South Africa last year, added.
The Minister of State for Sports in Uganda, Peter Ogwang, also encouraged the team to work hard and showcase their talents that could attract international scouts.
"This is a chance for the players to play well and be scouted to join the paid ranks," he said. At the 2023 World Cup held in Cape Town, Uganda put up a good show to finish fifth.