By Greg Shaw

Edited by Soumanou Salifou

The impact of soccer players of African descent in France has once again been proven by the French national team’s qualification for the group of sixteen in the ongoing World Cup tournament in Qatar thanks to two magnificent goals scored by Kylian Mbappe, a soccer star of African descent. Because soccer is the leading sport in most of the world, not much is known about the top performance of athletes of African descents in other sports, including rugby where, atypically, a Ugandan player by the name of Philip Wokorach, is shining.

Uganda is not a country that one would normally associate with rugby super stars but then again Philip Wokorach is not your average rugby player. This rugby star from Uganda who currently plies his trade in the French Second Division club Avenir Sportif Bédarrides-Chateuneuf du Pape (A.S.B.C) is the first and currently the only Ugandan rugby player to sign a professional contract with a European rugby club. Now based in Bédarrides, France Wokorach was first introduced to the game at the age of seven. His prodigious talent quickly became evident before he started to take the game more seriously while attending Kiswa Primary school.

Almost immediately showing a prowess for the game with a natural turn of speed and a deadly sidestep, Wokorach quickly flew up the ranks of Ugandan rugby leagues, first playing for Kyadondo Rugby Club before ending up at Heathens Rugby Club while also establishing himself as a key member of the Ugandan national rugby setup. The combination of height, speed and agility are the elements that really set him apart. So much so that he remains a key member of both the Uganda 15s and Uganda 7s teams both affectionately known as the Rugby Cranes.

It’s his solid and consistent performances at the national level and especially on the Rugby 7s circuit that caught the eye of his current rugby club A.S.B.C. Although Wokorach has already surpassed what most who have played the game in Uganda have achieved, he is a man with his feet firmly on the ground. When asked what he enjoys about the sport, he replies:

“Opportunity. The game has taken me places in my life. I started out playing football, but ever since I started playing rugby at a young age, all kinds of doors have been opened for me. I have traveled, studied, I have met new people and it has even put food on my table. Which is why I have so much respect for it. Then also there is the comradery and the values of the sport itself. I think it’s the best sport in the world. These are values that can be used in our daily lives.” 

Given the obstacles and challenges that many Ugandan rugby players face to get to the top of the game or even to consider making a career of this sport, one has to appreciate the dedication and sacrifices that a player like Wokorach has had to make. However, the man himself sees these things as worthwhile. Having gotten the opportunity to travel and now play the game abroad, he has been blessed with the chance to broaden his horizons and experience the game in a more structured environment. When asked about the biggest differences that he sees between the game in France, the Ugandan rugby star says:

“It’s more professional here than in Uganda where rugby is still an amateur sport. European rugby leagues are far more organized in terms of player welfare, competitions, club administration, communication, etc. We have talented lads in Uganda who would manage to play here if they are disciplined and committed.”

Ugandan rugby star Philp Wokorach is also a deeply religious man who is quick to say that his God-given gifts are not of his own doing and that he has a greater purpose in life than just rugby. His future plans include establishing a children’s foundation in Uganda called PW15 and giving back to his homeland. A man who doesn’t boast too much about his accolades, when asked about how he would like to finish his playing career and how he would like to be remembered, Wokorac’s response is pragmatic and sincere:

“I would want talented individuals back home to get to the top levels of rugby and also turn professional. We have lost so much talent along the way, especially in rugby. We would be further ahead in terms of national teams, but individuals no longer see the need to continue playing rugby especially after finishing school. They are no longer as committed to the sport as they are at school. If we are able to show that there is more that rugby can offer you after school or university, then that would be great.”