As the final whistle blew at Kyadondo on Saturday, the Thunderbirds Rugby Club walked off the pitch with a victory, but not with the trophy.
The win, though sweet, was not enough to clinch their first Women’s Rugby League title, which remained in the hands of the seasoned Black Pearls.
Yet, Head Coach Kigongo Ssebalamu stood tall, his voice steady but reflective, as he addressed what was a remarkable 2025 campaign.
“It was indeed a title decider, only that we fell short on that,” Kigongo began. “But we should have won this game and we should have become the champions. But you know, sport is brutal we managed only one.”
Indeed, the numbers say it all: 11 wins out of 12 games, a blistering start against the Avengers with a 36-0 shutout and a scoring trend that rarely dipped below 40 points per game.
But in the narrow margins of elite sport, a single early-season 25-12 loss to the Black Pearls at Kings Park Arena made all the difference to what would have been 12 out of 12.
Despite the heartbreak, Kigongo’s message is one of resolve and recognition. “For the last three years, Pearls have been winning this trophy without losing a single game. This time around, they’ve lost a game. That means we have been working and we are working, we are going to get better. So we’ve gone one step ahead.”
The Thunderbirds’ journey this season was more than a series of matches, it was a revelation to commitment, resilience and community. Kigongo repeatedly credited the team’s unity and discipline in training, highlighting a core strength that went beyond tactics and conditioning.
“These ladies have been doing their training in numbers as a team,” he said. “None of those things of missing training. Their availability, their determination, them staying as a whole, regardless because it being a girls team, of course it matters.”
Their physical conditioning was also a standout theme. “Fitness, strength, we’ve been there,” he stated proudly. “They’ve been in the box, they’ve come and run, they’ve worked hard.” That effort showed in every match, pushing them into double-digit victories and making them one of the most feared sides in the league.
But the journey wasn’t without setbacks. The team lost two crucial players to injury; Anena Sharon, who suffered a serious knee injury requiring surgery, and Anek Patricia, who fractured her ankle during national duty. Their absence forced tactical adjustments, including moving players like Asha into unfamiliar positions.
“It’s been tough,” Kigongo admitted. “But at least we’ve managed to lose just one game and win the rest. That’s enough for us to build on. It tells us that we are better.”
Looking ahead, the Thunderbirds are far from done. The Sevens season kicks off soon and Kigongo is already refocusing the team’s energy on new challenges.
“Next Saturday, there is Sevens tournament. We’re going to take part in that. The Sevens begin on the 14th of June, which is also another cracker of a season to come. So we need to prepare ourselves, get better into that and see if we can win something, at least this year.”
In a season that fell just short of ultimate glory, the Thunderbirds have earned something perhaps more valuable, belief. With a passionate coach, a committed squad and a foundation of strength both physical and emotional, they have indeed gone one step ahead.
And that next step? According to Coach Kigongo, it just might be straight to the top.
Central to that community, this being a women’s club, is Winnie Atyang, the national team manager and mother to twin players on the squad, Phyllis Apio and Tamara Achen.
In a poignant moment during the season’s climax, all players walked in with their babies, a powerful image of balance, strength and motherhood.
“What a day! I have enjoyed everything from the start we won, fell short of the trophy but a good image was set,” one of the revealers said.
“It is a story you have heard of before a mum playing Rugby on the same surface of play with her daughters- but maybe today it reminds the girls”
“Ladies can give birth despite being in sport, Regardless of them being mothers, they can still demonstrate determination and commitment to their team. Atyang did and what I saw there should inspire those girls and Ladies out there,” she concluded.
