After a weekend of uncharacteristic opening-round losses, the defending champions, Stanbic Black Pirates, host the KCB KOBs in a game primed to dominate the waves this weekend.
The Pirates were 12-16 losers at Heathens last weekend, failing to score a try in that game, while the KOBs lost 15-18 to the Hippos in a game where they woke up a little too late.
All bets are always off when these two meet, but KOBs have always found a way to upstage the Pirates at their new home. It is not a huge margin, but the KOBs are 2-1 at Kings Park Arena against the Pirates.
The KOBs hold a 1-0 advantage in the Banker tales after Sempeke Josiah’s late heroics in the Uganda Cup quarterfinal at Legends.
Still, the Pirates will be eager to cash the cheques in their backyard this weekend to even the score before we get very far into the year.
Other exciting matchups
Away from Bweyogerere, the table-leading Rhinos are hosting the arrogant Impis entourage in the heart of Lugogo at Legends.
The Rhinos were the only team to inflict defeat on the Impis in the Uganda Cup group stages, and the latter’s captain John Tamale knows there’s debt that needs to be paid.
“We want to dominate them, ensure the win and then aim for the bonus,” he said ahead of this weekend’s game.
The Mongers walk into Rams territory in a rematch of their famous Uganda Cup semi-final that went down to the wire.
Mongers led the game 16-03 at some point but by full time, the score stood at 16-all and nothing could separate the two even after extra time.
A coin toss was done, and Rams made their way to the Uganda Cup final. Mongers would like to forget that result quickly and getting one better on the team responsible for that result, in the Championship, is a good way to start.
At Kyadondo, the Heathens are hosting returnees Warriors for the first time in two years, buoyed by the last-minute victory against the Pirates in week 1. Their Kyadondo brothers, Buffaloes, are away to Kampani’s Eagles.
Across the bridge in Jinja is a local derby pitting the Walukuba Barbarians against their torch-bearers, the Jinja Hippos.
The Hippos are coming off a massive 18-15 upset of the KOBs and will go into that game with high confidence and guns blazing.
The Barbarians lost to the Eagles in Round 1, and an opportunity to make a mark on the new championship presents itself in the form of unwanted neighbours, Hippos.
Full Fixture
Heathens vs Warriors 4pm (Kyadondo)
Rhinos vs Impis 4pm (Legends)
Rams vs Mongers 4pm (Graveyard)
Walukuba vs Hippos 4pm (Abel Dhaira Stadium)
Pirates vs Kobs 4pm (KPA)
Eagles vs Buffaloes 4pm (Kitante)
Courtesy Photos
