Irene Eyaru replaces Peace Proscovia as the She Cranes Captain

Irene Eyaru has replaced Peace Proscovia as the She Cranes Captain ahead of the Netball World Cup set for next Month in South Africa.

Coach Fred Mugerwa resisted the urge to pick a player with World Cup experience to lead the side instead opting for a player who has deputised others like Joan Nampungu in the continental events.

“She was one time the assistant captain when Peace wasn’t there and was always deputising Joan and when Joan left and Peace was not around, we wanted someone a bit senior on that team and we decided to give her that role,” said Mugerwa.

 On Friday while making cuts to the 28-player training squad, Mugerwa announced Eyaru and her 21-year-old assistant and NIC player Maggie Baagala as the head of the leadership group.

“Maggie is young but her role as centre on the team gives her a leadership role and we want to groom her because she is an exceptional player,” he explained.

While Eyaru didn’t play at the 2019 World Cup she has been in the She Cranes setup for a long time but one would still have to question her reputation going into such a big event. Domestically she hasn’t been in many winning sides even seeing her KCCA fall on the final hurdle in the league was a bit of a letdown but her calm head under pressure could have been one of the reasons Mugerwa chose her.

She’s not  Proscovia who was a serial winner when she took over as national team captain. She doesn’t come with a big reputation. What she has going for her is the fact that eight KCCA players have made it to the 19-woman squad and the odds of them making the final squad is much higher than the other 12 from various teams.

Mugerwa made 11 cuts which he said were based on the performances during the non-residential camp.

“The trimming wasn’t all that easy for us because all the players have almost all been playing at the same level. I sat down with my assistants and we decided to look at each individual’s performance and the positions they are playing,”

He dropped Malisera Akello(Prisons), Victoria Nantumbwe(NIC), Penelope Amiya(NIC), Bashira Nassazi(UCU), Flavia Nalule (Police), Tausi Mumena,  Seera Zam(NIC), Godlive Aguti (UPDF) and Weyonje’s Harriet Amoding.

The other two players who didn’t make the cut are Stella Oyella (Strathclyde Sirens) and Peace Proscovia (Surrey Storm) who are out of the World Cup due to injury.

The 19 players will be joined by Mary Nuba of the Loughborough Lightning.

Squad for Residential Training

Irene Eyaru (captain) (KCCA), Mercy Batamurinza (KCCA), Mary Nuba (Lightning UK), Namulumba Christine Kango (Prisons), Shadia Nassanga (KCCA), Kabendera Asinah (Weyonje), Sarah Nakiyunga (NIC), Annet Najjuka (KCCA), Joyce Nakibuule (Prisons), Norah Lunkuse (KCCA), Lillian Achola (Weyonje), Margret Baagala (NIC) assistant Captain,  Asingo Viola (Prisons), Hanisha Muhammad (KCCA), Nakitto Christine (KCCA), Stella Nanfuka (Prisons), Kayeny Privas (NIC), Nassaka Shakirah (Weyonje), Shaffie Nalwanjja (KCCA), Kadondi Faridah (Weyonje)