- KOBs 22-27 Jinja Hippos | Agg: 47-49
In an entertaining display of grit and determination, Jinja Hippos wrote a historic chapter in Ugandan rugby by stunning 13-time champions KOBs 22-27 in their own backyard at Legends Grounds, sealing a place in the Uganda Rugby Premiership playoff finals for the first time.
Having lost the first leg 25-22 at home in Dam Waters, the Hippos came into the return fixture needing at least a four-point win to overturn the aggregate deficit.
They did just that by the slimmest of margins, winning the two-legged semifinal by a combined 49-47 and knocking out a side known for its miraculous comebacks.
The visitors started strong, racing to a 10-point lead early in the match but as expected, the KOBs responded through Ian Munyani’s converted try, signaling a resurgence reminiscent of their quarterfinal heroics against Buffaloes.
The hosts clawed back to level the score at 22-22, threatening to tip the tie in their favour once again but this wasn’t going to be another KOBs fairytale.
Aziz Bagalana, returning after missing the first leg, delivered when it mattered most; his expertly executed converted try pushed the Hippos ahead and ultimately over the finish line.
The final whistle marked a watershed moment not just for the team but for Ugandan rugby, the dethroning of giants and the rise of a team that had long hovered on the fringes of greatness.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Hippos coach Edmond Quaresma said post-match, his voice heavy with emotion.
“Last season, we fell short of this. This season, the boys showed character. A lot of problems with the high ball, we’ll need to fix that but they showed composure and resilience.”
It was not without drama. At one point, Hippos were a man down and the scoreboard showed a razor-thin two-point margin. For most teams, that spells collapse. Not the Hippos.
“We scrummed them all day,” Quaresma pointed out.
“They didn’t win in a ball of a scrum and I’m starting to wonder why we have four scrums and penalties of a scrum and no penalty try, but I had a feeling. I felt it coming.”
Asked whether he ever doubted victory, especially after a controversial penalty try awarded to KOBs, the coach remained steadfast.
“No, I kept believing. I told the boys to believe, and they believed. And here we are.”
Aziz Bagalana, the man of the moment, credited both faith and preparation for his match-winning performance.
“First of all, I thank Allah for the game we won,” said Bagalana.
“We knew we had a stronger team. We just had to stay calm and see what comes out.”
He added with a grin, “Last and foremost, I thank my girlfriend. She brought the fire, that’s why I’m working on that.”
Hippos now await the winner between record champions Heathens and regular season table-toppers Pirates, who clash on Saturday at the Kings Park Arena in Bweyogerere.
