By 
Uganda’s national rugby team, the Rugby Cranes, has dropped seven places in the latest World Rugby rankings, slipping from 41st to 48th following a disappointing display at the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup held in Kampala.
This sharp decline marks Uganda’s lowest global position in recent years and raises alarm ahead of a crucial relegation playoff fixture.
Uganda’s plunge in the rankings comes on the back of two key defeats, a 32–24 loss to regional rivals Kenya, extending the Simbas’ dominance, and a stunning upset by North African debutants Morocco, a result that dealt Uganda a heavy blow both psychologically and mathematically.
These defeats, especially on home soil, caused Uganda to hemorrhage ranking points under World Rugby’s exchange system, which rewards wins and penalizes losses based on opponent strength.
Uganda’s loss in the opening game to Morocco worked to the advantage of the North Africans, who moved 2 places from 39th to 37th in the latest rankings.
The Rugby Cranes now face Ivory Coast (64th) in a relegation playoff on July 16. A loss could not only drop Uganda deeper into the lower tiers of African rugby but also severely damage their long-term ambitions, including qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Expert insights on Uganda’s recent struggles in the Rugby Championship have been linked to a mirror of the Cranes inadequate tactical adaptability, especially in defending counterattacks, coupled with the underwhelming squad cohesion and limited bench impact. Lack of pressure handling has also been cited, particularly during high-stakes moments. This comes after what many had hoped would be a promising campaign for a side that was once ranked as high as 31st in 2008, following their Rugby Africa Cup success.
Uganda will take on Ivory Coast on Wednesday, July 16th, in a relegation decider at Kyadondo Rugby Grounds.
The Uganda Rugby Union is expected to conduct a technical audit and assess coaching staff performance, with emphasis on youth development, tactical training, and squad depth ahead of the next Africa Cup cycle.
Uganda’s drop to 48th in the world rugby rankings is not just a statistic. It is a wake-up call. With regional rivals improving and new challengers emerging, the Rugby Cranes must now dig deep, rethink their approach, and fight to restore national pride on the continental and global rugby stages.
