World Cup 2023: Who are the 15 She Cranes Stars Representing Uganda in Cape Town
With exactly a fortnight to the most prestigious tournament in the game of netball, that’s World Cup, this website decided to give you a brief background and profile of the final fifteen players who are going to represent the Pearl of Africa in Cape Town South Africa.
Fred Mugerwa Tabale, the She Cranes head coach at the start of the campaign preparing for 2023 Netball World Cup, summoned 30 players, few weeks later the two internationals in captain Peace Proscovia and Stella Oyella were ruled out due to medical issues and injury respectively.
But late in June, the gaffer came out with his final 15, whose profiles this website is sharing for the Ugandans to know their stars.
In a breakdown, the team has only two players who have ever featured in World Cup (Mary Nuba Cholhok and Stella Nanfuka) both featured in 2019 Liverpool Netball World Cup.
Two of them have never been at any international stage and will be debutants, that is Lillian Achola from Weyonje NC and Christine Nakitto, defender from KCCA. Annet Najjuka is a special case, she has ever been on national team under 21 in 2017 and even featured for the team in World Cup, however, this will be her first time to have a cap on senior team.
The team captain, Irene Eyaru went to Liverpool in 2019 but as a reserve and never played, her and Shaffie Nalwanja were more of spectators.
The team is one of the youngest among the 16 nations that are going to be in Cape Town, captain Irene Eyaru is the oldest in the squad 26(281 days) years and her assistant, Margret Baagala is the youngest, 21 years and 65 days.
Their head coach, Fred Mugerwa Tabale is 67 years of age.
The list of the 15 players and their details
Lillian Achola:
D.oB: 15/July/1999
Age: 23
Position: C/WA
Height: 158 cm
Club: Weyonje NC
Debut: None
Caps: None
Margret Baagala
D.oB: 09/May/2002
Age: 21
Height: 165.9 cm
Position: C/WA
Club: National Insurance Corporation NC
She Cranes debut: 2021 against Zimbabwe [Africa Netball Championship]
Caps: 22
Mary Cholhok Nuba
D.oB: 3/Jan/1997
Age: 26 years
Height: 201 cm
Position: GS
Club: Loughborough Lightning UK
Debut year: 2019
Caps: 24
Irene Eyaru (Captain)
D.o.B: 23/October/1996
Age: 26
Position: GA/GS
Height: 179 cm
Club: KCCA NC
Debut year: 2019
Debut Match: South Africa (Test Series)
Caps: 50
Muhameed Haniisha
D.oB: 08/Aug/1999
Age: 23
Position: GK/GS
Height: 187.3 cm
Club: KCCA NC
Debut year: 2020
Debut Match: Namibia (Tri-Nation Series)
Falidah Kadondi
D.o.B: 9/Nov/1998
Age: 24
Position: GD/GK
Height: 179.4 cm
Club: Weyonje NC
Debut year: 2022
Debut Match: England (Vitality test series)
Caps: 8
Norah Lunkuse
D.o.B: 30/Jan/1998
Age: 25
Height: 173.4 cm
Position: WA/C
Club: KCCA NC
Debut year: 2021
Debut Match: Namibia (Pent Series)
Caps: 23
Christine Nakitto
D.o.B: 28/Dec/2001
Age: 21
Height: 175.4 cm
Position: GD/GK
Club: KCCA NC
Debut year: 2023
Debut Match: None
Caps: None
Shaffie Nalwanja
D.oB: 16/Nov/1998
Age: 24
Height: 175.3 cm
Position: GK/GD/WD
Club: KCCA NC
Debut year: 28
Debut Match: (Not sure)
Caps: 42
Stella Nanfuka
D.o.B: 22/July/1997
Age: 26
Height: 182.6 cm
Position: GK/GD
Club: Prisons NC
Debut year: 2017
Debut Match: Zambia [Africa Netball Championship]
Caps: 46
Christine Namulumba
D.o.B: 3/April/2000
Age: 23
Height: 188.4 cm
Position: GS
Club: Prisons NC
Debut year: 2022
Debut Match: South Africa [Fast Five]
Caps: 2
Shadia Nassanga
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D.oB: 09/Sept/2000
Age: 23
Height: 176.5 cm
Position: GS/GA
Club: KCCA NC
Debut year: 2020
Debut Match: South Africa [Tri-Nation Series]
Caps: 37
Viola Asingo
D.o.B: 24/Sept/1997
Age: 25
Height: 174 cm
Position: WD/GD
Club: Prisons NC
Debut year: 2022
Debut Match: Northern Ireland [Vitality Test Series]
Cap: 4
Annet Najjuka
D.o.B: 21/July/1998
Age: 24
Height: 165.4 cm
Position: C/WA
Club : KCCA NC
Debut year: (Yet to play)
Debut Match: None
Caps: None
Sarah Nakiyunga
D.o.B: 12/Oct/2000
Age: 22
Height: 166 cm
Position: WA/C
Club: NIC NC
Debut year: 2022
Debut Match: South Africa [Tri-Nation Series]
Caps: 11