The Commonwealth Games might be best remembered in Ireland for forcing the Scotland-Ireland game to be played in Celtic Park as opposed to Hampden park, but it also made worldwide news for the disappearance of two Ugandan rugby players.
The pair had missed their flight back to Uganda and instead stayed put in the UK to claim asylum. It had been rumoured they were working in a Glaswegian car wash, something investigated by the Ugandan government, however it turns out they have been playing for St. Peters RFC outside Cardiff while staying in a nearby hostel for asylum seekers.
A Welsh government body had asked the club if the asylum seekers could use their facilities for football, to which club chairman Joe Sweeney had no issue.
He told Wales Online:
Because we are a community club, we said yes, one of the players approached our coach and mentioned he played a bit of rugby.
It was noticed he was an extra gifted rugby player and we spoke to him about why he was here. It transpired he had been at the Commonwealth Games playing for Uganda and while here he and his mate decided to seek asylum.
On seeing the talent of the pair, Sweeney moved to sign them, a move he was successful in despite getting caught up in red-tape. With one of the players notching two tries for his new club last weekend, it has turned into a positive situation for all involved.
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Picture credit: Diarmuid Greene / SPORTSFILE
