She Cranes End Vitality Netball Nations Cup Winless, Set for Third-Place Playoff
The Uganda She Cranes wrapped up their group campaign at the 2025 Vitality Netball Nations Cup without a single victory, finishing at the bottom of the standings. Despite showing glimpses of promise, Uganda struggled to keep up with the competition, suffering three consecutive losses.
Group Stage Recap
- February 1: South Africa 75-40 Uganda
- February 2: Malawi 59-45 Uganda
- February 8: England 59-48 Uganda
Their final group-stage encounter saw England grind out a hard-fought win over Uganda to secure a place in the championship final against South Africa. The She Cranes put up a solid fight, staying level at 42-42 heading into the last quarter. However, England shifted gears, stringing together seven unanswered points to create a lead that Uganda failed to overturn. The Roses sealed the match with an additional nine goals, dashing Uganda’s hopes of a consolation win.
Now, Uganda will turn their focus to the third-place playoff against Malawi on Sunday, February 9, at 1:00 PM GMT. The Malawians, who handed Uganda a 59-45 defeat earlier in the tournament, will be looking to repeat that success. For the She Cranes, this presents a final chance to redeem themselves and salvage something from their campaign.
Meanwhile, the grand final at 3:00 PM GMT will see South Africa and England face off once again. In the group stage, South Africa edged England 61-59 in a thrilling encounter. England’s Halimat Adio, who was named Player of the Match against Uganda, has emphasized the importance of studying South Africa’s shooting strategies and sticking to their game plan to turn the tables this time.
While Uganda’s journey in the tournament has been disappointing, the lessons learned from these high-level encounters will be invaluable as they look to bounce back in future international competitions.