Uganda rugby has received a coaching boost after Fred Mudoola and Leonard Lubambula attained World Rugby Level 3 coaching accreditation.
The Uganda Rugby Union confirmed the achievement on Thursday, September 10, congratulating the two coaches after completing the advanced qualification.
Mudoola is the Rugby Cranes head coach, while Lubambula is part of the national team coaching structure and also leads Walukuba Barbarians.
Their accreditation strengthens Uganda’s local coaching capacity at a time when the Rugby Cranes continue pursuing improved performances on the continental stage.
World Rugby describes Level 3 as a four-day competency-based accreditation designed to prepare coaches for advanced planning and analysis responsibilities.
The programme covers season planning, building game plans around team strengths and weaknesses, opposition analysis and further development of coaching processes.
Coaches must also complete several prerequisites covering rugby laws, performance analysis, player workload, contact load, concussion management and safeguarding before accreditation.
Mudoola and Lubambula have worked together within the Rugby Cranes setup for several years, giving the achievement added importance for Uganda’s senior national team.
Mudoola first joined the Rugby Cranes technical setup as an assistant coach in 2013 before later taking over as head coach.
Lubambula built his reputation through Walukuba Barbarians before joining the national team structure, where he has previously handled backs and attack.
The pair were already pursuing their coaching qualifications in South Africa during the Rugby Cranes’ 2024 Elgon Cup preparations against Kenya.
Their progression also comes as Uganda increasingly exposes its national coaches and players to higher-performance environments outside the country.
The Rugby Cranes have previously undertaken preparation camps and matches in South Africa, using those opportunities to improve technical standards ahead of continental competitions.
World Rugby places Level 3 among its higher-level coaching qualifications, with comparable programmes including Ireland’s Performance Coach Qualification and New Zealand’s Performance Coaching Course.
For Uganda, having coaches within the senior national setup achieve that level provides another step towards developing stronger domestic expertise rather than depending entirely on external technical support.
Mudoola remains central to Uganda’s senior men’s programme, while Lubambula’s continued involvement also connects national-team coaching development with the domestic game.