Victoria Sharks have secured their long-awaited place in the National 7s Series after a flawless run at the core status qualifiers in Njeru.
Both the Sharks and Makerere Impis reached the knockout stages unbeaten, but when it mattered most, the Sharks looked sharper.
The Impis cruised past KIU Crows and Kitgum Lions, but cracks appeared in their final group match.
Against the spirited Njeru Hurricanes, Coach Syrus Ssebuliba’s side needed late bench reinforcements to scrape a 22–12 win.
The Sharks, meanwhile, carried their strong form from the central region circuits into Njeru.
They swept past Mbale Elephants, Buddu Bears, and Lira Bulls before facing the Hurricanes in the semifinals.
This time, they showed steel and maturity, exorcising the ghosts of last year’s painful exit against the Kampani Eagles.
That win booked the Sharks a long-sought ticket to the National 7s core teams list, a dream they had chased since their narrow miss in 2023.
They’ll be joined by the Mbale Elephants, who shocked the Impis 12–07 in the other semifinal to punch their ticket to the big stage.
