Uganda Rugby Premiership Semifinal Play Off | Second Leg
- Black Pirates 25-19 Heathens | Aggregate (42-31)
The Black Pirates have set sail for a second consecutive playoff final after a commanding 25-19 victory over the Heathens at King’s Park Arena, completing a 42-31 aggregate triumph in a tense semifinal encounter that echoed last year’s final.
Heathens, who were determined to mount a comeback after a narrow 12-17 home defeat in the first leg at Kyadondo, entered the clash with high hopes.
But Pirates, showing no signs of mercy, closed the door on any resurrection early and often. Their intentions were clear from kickoff as they took control of the match and never looked back.
The opening minutes saw Jeremiah Okello break through for a crucial early try, setting the tone for what would be a relentless first-half effort.
William Nkore, the league’s top scorer, added a penalty to stretch the lead to 10-0 at halftime, silencing Heathens’ supporters and establishing a firm grip on the tie.
The Heathens attempted to rally in the second half. They were awarded a penalty try and saw Aaron Ofoyrwoth dive over the line, snatching a brief 14-10 lead and injecting tension back into the affair but any hope of a comeback was short-lived.
Demonstrating the poise and resilience of a battle-hardened unit, the Pirates responded in style. Sidney Gongodyo’s try swung momentum back in their favour, and Timothy Kisiga followed up with another to regain control.
With time winding down, Ivan Magomu nailed a pressure penalty to seal the victory, extinguishing any remaining Heathens’ hope.
Although the visitors managed a late consolation try, the aggregate score had already tilted heavily in the Pirates’ favour.
It was a performance that blended physical grit with tactical precision, hallmarks of a side eager to defend its status among Uganda’s rugby elite.
Therefore, they will face Jinja Hippos in the Playoff final, a Hippos side who edged KOBs in the second Leg 22-27 held at Legends on Friday evening.
After the match, Pirates kicker and standout performer William Nkore reflected on the journey, balancing a full-time job as a truck selector with an exceptional rugby season.
“It is tough to balance both,” Nkore admitted.
“But I go there and do 100% for both. So I give 100% at work. Then I leave on time and come here and give 100% in training. That has been the trick for me.”
Nkore’s consistency has been key to Pirates’ campaign and now as they look ahead to a final showdown against Jinja Hippos, he expects nothing less than a fiery contest.
“I know they are going to come, I saw them yesterday. They have fire but they are also going to train and come with fire. So fire for fire. It’s going to be a good show,” he said with a grin.
Having observed the Hippos closely, Nkore was quick to highlight their strength in the scrum, an area he believes could decide the final.
“We need to stop their scrum. The scrum I saw, they heavily rely on it, It’s a good scrum, They are big boys. So we need to get our big boys working a lot,” he emphasized.
“I know we can handle it. It’s the first step.”
The final will be played at the Kings Park Arena.
