Fortunate Irankunda

Fortunate Irankunda
20 May 1983
Height: 5’2
Weight: 83.5kg

Fortunate says … it feels so good to be a national team player although it is not easy to be one. It was one Sunday after Elgon cup that I (face visible in picture) was informed by the UWRA chairperson that I was to join the national 7s team for training. To me it was strange because I was so sure that I could only play 15’s since I was benched in my club during the 7’s league because of my unfitness and laziness. I thought my club coach wanted me to join the 7’s national team training to improve on my fitness. To my surprise we trained the whole week without hearing any word from her. It bothered me as she is my role model: she inspires me, encourages me, picks me up when I am down all because she wants me to be a very good rugby player. This time round she did not "spoon feed" me but left me on my own to see whether I could stand on my own two feet. I did not want to disappoint so I kept pushing. 7’s rugby is very tough: there was too much running, hill work, steps at lugogo ooooooh it was not a joke. Pam and jero kept encouraging me to hang in there and that I would be able to make it. as I became more confident that I could be a good 7s players I was able to put in my all and things became a bit easier.

One of my greatest moments was when mutaks read out the last 14 and I was on that list. I felt really great and proud to be on it and started to see myself on that plane to dubai. I was blessed to make it to the final 12 woman squad and when you are blessed you carry those blessings everywhere. My rugby background also helped as the person I look up to and who "brought me up" in rugby made sure that I yielded good fruits.

In my mind, the days starting running so fast and we were fast forwarded to just before dubai. Friday was checking in at the airport, Saturday was going through immigration and having our passports stamped and the flight was on Sunday. The processing (i.e training) to get that final stamp was not easy but somehow i made it. But back to reality. We checked into hotel equatoria on Wednesday night and I think that’s when it hit most of us that we were representing Uganda and we stood a good chance of actually qualifying for the world cup.

Sunday 21st September after 3pm is a moment I will never forget. Jesus ashamed the devil and I felt so great and proud. I am sure that those who doubted that I would ever be a 7s player wished they were in my shoes. Too many people are used to getting things on a silver platter and forget that to get the best results one has to sweat. From residues to becoming world cup material is a wonderful feeling and I pray that God gives me the strength and energy to keep fit so that the journey to dubai becomes easier for me.

Great thanks to those who have worked tirelessly to make me the way I am i.e. my 7s coaches (david mutaka, soggy, dr Arthur kwizera), my team managers jero and pam, dr connie who worked on my injuries, my club mates (brenda and prossy), the entire 7’s squad (charlotte, aalliya, rose, winnie, christine, yogi, kyoita and kayonjo) and not forgetting my motherly role model & club coach – miss Helen buteme.