When the lights shine brightest, the big stars come to the stage and make sure to be seen. The Championship has been reduced to eight competition teams as the quarterfinals beckon.
Heathens Favorites, But Barbarians Aim for Upset
Regular season leaders, Platinum Credit Heathens are at home to the Walukuba Barbarians in the first round of their quarterfinal clash. Of the eight teams left, Heathens had the best record, while Barbarians not so much.
The Heathens will rely on the able stewardship of veteran Michael Wokorach who seems to have found solace in the back row and leads the team’s try scorers’ charts with 8 meat pies. The Yellow machine has ably spread around the scoring fun, with Oyet too on 8 tries, Amollo and Ssebuliba on 6, while Okello Malcolm keeps the scoreboard ticking with his boot.
The Barbarians started slow but managed to steady their course, even proving a hard nut to crack when the two met in the regular season before Heathens got a last-minute score to win 21-17.
The Abel Dhaira-based side will be counting on the continuity of their magical back three of Shakim Sembusi, Reuben Kagwisagye and Ivan Bulima to inspire a run against the 2022 Champions. Gift Wokorach is kicking around the 68th percentile and the Barbarians will need their anchor to be on song to have a result against the Heathens.
Hippos Look to Bounce Back Against Buffaloes
The Jinja Hippos are welcoming the Toyota Buffaloes in the first of two Seguya Cups this playoff calendar. The Hippos have a blemish to answer for, having gone down to the Mongers in the last game of the regular season and a clash against the Buffaloes is the perfect chance.
The Dam Waters-based contingent will be without reliable talisman Yasin Wasswa, but welcome back Jacob Ochen who had a successful loan spell with Welsh side Pentyrch RFC.
Jacob is the back row alongside regular season top scorer Andrew Odhiambo and Captain David Wako, a trio the Hippos will rely on to upset the Kyadondo landlords.
The Buffaloes, once again, lost to the Heathens after a close battle and will take the impetus from that fight into their visit to Jinja. With Daniel Kateregga kicking at 80%, the Buffaloes hope it’s an ace up their sleeves battling Hippos without Yasin’s boot.
Seasoned campaigners Ssewankambo Gerald and Omoding Allan bring the madness in the midfield battle and will be looking for work to carry them over the gainline from the hands of Katerega at five-eighth.
Black Pirates buoyed by Magomu’s Return
The 2023 Champions, Stanbic Black Pirates, are at Kampala Rugby Club (Legends) for their first-leg clash with the Rhinos. In the last game of the regular campaign, the Pirates welcomed back their mercurial skipper Ivan Magomu and hope it was a sign of better tidings in the knockouts.
The Pirates have had reliable points productions from out wide in Ojeabulu and Atukunda, with Frederick Mulindwa proving indelible with his boot. They have 5 players that have scored 20+ points this season (F. Mulindwa 47, K. Erem 27, J. Kamiza 27, P. Ojeabulu 25, A. Atukunda 20). Only Heathens (7) have more, as compiled by Isa Metrics and Fat Cats.
The Rhinos, after winning five to start their campaign, lost 5 on the bounce, before winning their 6th to secure playoffs. The young bulls have persevered under the steady guidance of veteran Ivan Kirabo with the twins, Mutara and Kinyera finding their feet and playing with the freedom to tell you that they are going to be around for a long time.
Ivan Kirabo is kicking slightly above average but the Rhinos are fearless in winning penalties for him to help keep the scoreboard ticking.
KOBs Seek Redemption Against Mongers in Midfield Battle
The KCB KOBs are headed to Entebbe to play the Plascon Mongers in the perfect battle of the midfield. The KOBs are glad the regular season is over and can summon their ancestors and pedigree to brush their execution as they look to convince their doubters.
In the absence of Joseph Aredo, Josiah Ssempeke and Rasul Abiriga have swapped chances at the posts, while rookie Benjamin Luyirika Muwanguzi has made a fine dame of the whitewash, scoring 8 tries.
The injection of youngsters like Otai, Gizamba, Arinaitwe, and Khemis into the KOBs machine should prove adversary enough for Mongers.
The Mongers, on the other hand, are ready for one of their fancier games of the season, led by the able boot of top points scorer, Robin Odrua (143) who is also kicking at an impressive rate (74%).
The Mongers welcomed coach Brian Makalama at the start of the championship, who had been fired by the KOBs and his nous has shown in the improved scrummaging in Entebbe. They will be buoyed by the fact that they denied the KOBs a chance to score a try in the regular season campaign even though they lost, owing to seven KOBs kicks.
The quarterfinals will be played over two legs (home and away) and the winner shall be determined by aggregate score.
Full Fixtures
QF 1
Busambaga, Entebbe
Mongers vs KOBs
QF 2
Kyadondo Rugby Club
Heathens vs Barbarians
QF 3
Dam Waters
Hippos vs Buffaloes
QF 4
Legends Rugby Grounds
Rhinos vs Pirates
Courtesy Photos
