This by far has been the coming out year of the Uganda rugby scene, the explosion in popularity is unmatched and unfathomed. The Sidney factor, the subsequent sympathy. The return of the Impis, the dull soccer league and other factors keeled in for more attention.
For the first time in 10 years, I was involved in proceedings of the Uganda Premier League intimately, as part of the coaching staff. It isn’t something I didn’t expect, it is something I am accustomed to. I took my view and was keen to drag along. To say underwhelming is an understatement.
This is my take away. Pirates are heads above the chasing pack, the team from Bweyogerere have week in and out proved to be the best team in the league, the depth to maintain a huge run to the Enterprise cup. The branding, the darkest hour of sport turned into a memorable curation thanks to the team behind the curtains.
Reminder that rugby clubs maybe founded as an outlet for spoilt obese boys but now have become the defining identity of an individual. This is a whole task from amateurs running a professional level of output. The champions set the bar so high it can be surpassed though. Sidney is me campaign should be one of the greater PR campaigns this country has had.
Yasin Wasswa, the enigma, few players have come into a season and turned it into their personal property like this man. The gods of the Buffaloes must be singing from the mountains. Not to discredit his less talented teammates, he is HIM. Averaging double digits on the scoreboard per game (citation needed).
It is safe to say, he dragged his team into the grand finale and kept hope alive all through the game. Alex Aturinda in the same vein can’t stop running. He is always on his feet and has been rewarded opportunistically with a try more often than not. These are the best two players in the game at the moment.
Venues, rugby goes to die at her venues, all the hosts have made a pathetic attempt at hospitality. Every basic metric falls below expectation. The toilets suck, the service sucks, the attention sucks, the prices too expensive, the pitches either desert or flooded a real safety concern to all players. The parking lots too discouraging. Every metric falls way below expectation that any given Saturday you wake up to a game being rescheduled at a different venue totally because of totally avoidable circumstances.
Of course, no team or even the organisers themselves have a set standard, in typical Ugandan fashion, we will settle for the bare minimum. I know of a team who were wailing loud after being requested to pay 7000 to clean up bathrooms and toilets. Such is the crass the game has become no home ground can pass any eye test. Maybe a deliberate call to action and investment can be floated, the venues are in great locations, seem to just have no idea how to serve and cater to a crowd.
In an unbelievable tale, this has been the best officiation ever in any season of rugby I have watched. The referees really did step up, the peer review and really shut out the noise to deal with fact. Of course, we have to howl at them but looking back, they have done a magnificent job. The numbers are still small but maybe reeling in upcountry referees could help. My brother Wutimber I will be back to insult you more next season but great work this season.
Coaching, the enterprise cup exposes how short we fall in execution of basics and intensity. Gladly it happens within the season and is refreshing to see how the adjustment works. The fact that Ugandan teams play to mis execute the set pieces and avoid the mauls. Luckily the World Rugby has stated that the maul will be engaged. The kicking percentages, the handling errors are all documented. As a coach we need to do better, it would help if the Union opened an internal library but the head of technical matters is Ramsey Olinga the only broken clock that isn’t right even twice a day.
The collapse of Jinja rugby. It is unimaginable that after the highs of last season, all the Jinja teams would be in a flirtatious mood with relegation. Hippos predictably got the cut proving infernally that rugby isn’t played on pitch. You never tamper with a working system even when it takes your shine away. The devil’s advocate in me thinks Jinja is too small a market to host three teams but what do I know?
Makerere and Kyambogo have a population of 100,000 residents combined and goodwill of many more. This is a direct appeal in market. The Impis are doing their best to engage with the community they represent. They need a natural rival who would be Kyambogo who hosted premiership rugby this season. The other side is in endless fights with the governing body or quick divorces in any marriage. Aha.
Media, mehn oh boy. Some people did great work, others nothing. A team would do everything right yet the other just keeps mum about everything. Some teams had great production, others had none, no in between. Internal media and photography improved for some and nothing for others. The real GOATS of this game are the ones in Naguru who seem to have given more airtime to rugby and even Kawowo sports and everyone else. Special flowers to the man with the introductions, I wish he introduces me to my future wife that way.
Anyway the season continues…
