2025 Uganda Rugby Cup
- Nile Rapids Vs She Wolves
The 2025 Uganda Cup final will be an all–Eastern Uganda affair, with defending champions Nile Rapids facing a fearless She Wolves side whose unlikely rise has become the story of the tournament.
For the She Wolves, simply making the final is historic.
Their campaign started with a narrow 15–13 loss to the Ewes, but they responded with a staggering 100–00 rout of Kigezi Queens, driven by captain Gladys Wilembe’s eight tries.
A 24–05 loss to the Avengers exposed their struggle with the physical demands of 15s rugby, and things worsened in the semifinals.
Missing five starters and denied a postponement, the Mbale side fought through adversity to edge the Panthers 10–05, an emotional win that sealed their first Uganda Cup final.
Their journey has unfolded amid player shortages, tight travel and accommodation budgets, and even a lack of proper playing boots, yet they have refused to fold.
Waiting for them is a Nile Rapids team that has grown into one of the country’s strongest 15s units.
The Rapids shocked many when they lifted the 2024 Uganda Cup, a victory some dismissed as a result of Tina Akello’s individual brilliance and a little luck.
But this season has proved that their success was no fluke. Since emerging from the National 7s as an invitational side, the Jinja outfit has steadily strengthened, competing confidently in the 15s league and challenging long established giants.
Last year, the Rapids had to beat league champions Black Pearls before overcoming the Avengers in the final.
This year, they knocked out the Avengers again in the semifinals, a win that showed their rise and showed they now boast match-winners beyond Akello. Fullback Minat Namono scored the crucial try that swung the game.
