Captains Set Tone for 2025 Rugby Africa Cup as the ‘Road to Australia’ Reaches Climax
KAMPALA, Uganda – Following days of travel from across the continent, all eight of Africa’s top rugby nations have arrived at the serene Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, Uganda. With the tranquil surroundings behind them, it’s now full focus on the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup , a high-stakes tournament that doubles as the continent’s qualification pathway to the Men’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2027.
This year’s edition, taking place from tomorrow, July 8 to 19 at the Mandela National Stadium, promises fierce clashes, national pride and a singular goal: the sole ticket to the world’s most prestigious rugby event.
The venue holds familiar ground for Zimbabwe, who lifted the trophy here last year. Scrumhalf Hilton Mudariki, who captained the Sables to that triumph, returns to lead a determined Zimbabwean side looking to make history by qualifying for the Rugby World Cup for the first time since 1991.
“It’s there,” Mudariki admitted when asked about the pressure of being defending champions. “But if we focus on things that we’ve built for the past 12 months, we’ll be okay. We know that we’ve got a target on our back, but the big thing is to focus on ourselves.”
The Zimbabweans will rely heavily on team chemistry, having retained the bulk of their squad that romped to victory here last year.
“We’ve had a bit of consistency from last year, in terms of our squad over the past 12 months,” Mudariki added. “But we’ve added guys who will give us a little bit more, adding quality to the side.”
Morocco’s return to the top-tier Rugby Africa competition after a seven-year absence makes for a dramatic opener.
“We are very excited to be back in the top division after a long time,” said Morocco’s captain Adil Achahbar. “Zimbabwe first, in that first game of the tournament, is going to be a challenge. They are the defending champions. But I can tell you that we are ready for that one.”
Runners-up in 2024, Algeria are determined to go one better this year. Led by captain Marvyn Youcef, the nation is keen on going a step further to win the 2025 tournament and qualify for the Men’s Rugby World Cup for the first time in their country’s history.
“We need to be calmer this time around if we’re going to do better than last year,” said Youcef, fully aware of the fine margins at play.
Their opening opponents, Côte d’Ivoire, will bring youth, energy, and ambition, captain Élias Coulibaly is relishing the challenge against Algeria.
“Algeria is a good side, they were in the final last year,” he said. “But a lot of things have changed and they, like everybody else, can expect a big fight from us.”
Meanwhile, hosts Uganda are going all out to create a memorable tournament on and off the pitch. While known for their hospitality, the Rugby Cranes plan to be anything but accommodating on the field.
What better way to start their campaign than a titanic clash with their neighbours Kenya in the last quarter-final of the first day.
“They always give us a hard time,” said Uganda skipper Byron Oketayot. “But we are ready for whatever they have for us. We are ready for the contest, you know, this is the game of rugby, expect anything.”
With the home crowd expected to show up in force, the Cranes will draw strength from the stands.
“It is really special to play in front of them,” Oketayot added. “A lot of family, a lot of friends, hearing the same voices all the time. That’s always extra motivation.”
The Kenyans, on the other hand, are also psyched up for what should be one of the hardest-fought battles in the history of this famous East African rivalry. Both teams were recently in the southern part of the continent to fine-tune for this crucial Qualifier.
“We had a tour of South Africa for a month, which was very good for team bonding,” said George Nyambua, the Kenya captain. “We had a two-day break back home in Kenya to see our families after we returned from South Africa, then we came here. We have a slightly different team from the one we had last year; these are qualifiers and we are taking them seriously. The alignment camp we had plus the SA tour were very important.”
Namibia — Africa’s sole representative at every Rugby World Cup since 1999 — are also in the mix. After a surprise semi-final loss to Zimbabwe last year, they’re keen to reassert their dominance.
“Definitely winning the tournament is every team’s goal,” said Namibia’s captain Prince Gaoseb. “We had good preparations, played Uganda, played Italy. It just depends on the day, who is eager to win. Last year one of our biggest setbacks was the set-pieces, and being clinical. It’s a very competitive tournament, and I think that is a good thing for African rugby.”
The Namibians begin their campaign against Senegal. And for Senegal captain Demba Kane, facing one of Africa’s giants is nothing short of inspiring.
“Namibia is a very good side, they are the benchmark in Africa,” Kane said. “It’s always a massive thing to test yourself against them.”
The 2025 Rugby Africa Cup will feature eight of the continent’s top teams, Uganda, Namibia, Kenya, Morocco, Algeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, and 2024 champions Zimbabwe, competing in a knockout tournament for the African spot at the Rugby World Cup, the winner will also qualify for the second division of the Nations Cup. Notably, with all qualification set to conclude by the end of 2025, a first in Men’s Rugby World Cup history, all participating teams will be confirmed ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw. The World Rugby Rankings will inform team seedings for the tournament draw.
All matches will be played at Mandela National Stadium and broadcast live by official partner NBS Sport (https://nbssport.co.ug), while also streamed globally on RugbyPass TV and the Rugby Africa Facebook page. Tickets are available to local fans through MTN MoMo platforms (https://www.mtn.co.ug/momo/), the official payments partner, with both general admission and VIP options currently on sale. Supporters across Uganda and the region are encouraged to book early and be part of this historic milestone in African rugby.
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Match Day 1: Tuesday 08 July 2025 (Local Time) (EAT)
- 10:00 – Zimbabwe vs Morocco
- 12:00 – Algeria vs Cote d’Ivoire
- 14:00 – Namibia vs Senegal
- 16:00 – Kenya vs Uganda
Match Day 2: Sunday 13 July 2025 (Local Time) (EAT)
- 10:00 – Loser Match 2 vs Loser Match 3
- 12:00 – Loser Match 1 vs Loser Match 4
- 14:00 – Winner Match 2 vs Winner Match 3
- 16:00 – Winner Match 1 vs Winner Match 4
Match Day 3: Saturday 19 July 2025 (Local Time) (EAT)
- 10:00 – Loser Match 5 vs Loser Match 6 (7th Place Final)
- 12:00 – Winner Match 5 vs Winner Match 6 (5th Place Final)
- 14:00 – Loser Match 7 vs Loser Match 8 (3rd Place Final)
- 16:00 – Winner Match 7 vs Winner Match 8
