The skies over Kyadondo had cleared after a morning drizzle with some swift winds blowing under the moderate shine when the final whistle blew on Saturday evening, but for KOBs the real storm had just begun.
They had walked into the quarterfinal first leg of the Uganda Rugby Premiership as favourites, brimming with belief and driven by experience and a good season on their back.
Yet by full-time, they were staring at a 17–7 defeat to a relentless Buffaloes side, and as KOBs head coach, Timothy Mudoola, made his way off the pitch, his expression told a story deeper than the scoreboard.
“We handed them that victory,” he would later say, voice calm but laced with the sting of disappointment. “They didn’t have to work too hard for it.”
It had all started so promisingly. Inside the first 15 minutes, Adnan Mutebi touched down to give KOBs an early lead. Joseph Aredo slotted the conversion, and with the momentum on their side, it felt like the boys in blue were settling into their rhythm.
But then came the missed chances, two penalties that veered wide, crucial points that could have widened the gap. Instead, the Buffaloes hung in.
A Liam Walker penalty brought the game within reach just before halftime (7–3), and the tide began to turn.
In the second half, it was the Buffaloes who took control. Ronald Kanyanya crossed to give them the lead and then, in a moment that silenced the KOBs faithful, Omara Raymond broke free, sprinted half the pitch and slid under the posts. Walker added both conversions. 17 unanswered points and suddenly the favourites were chasing shadows.
After the match, Mudoola didn’t sugarcoat the shortcomings.
“It comes down to decision making and hunger,” he said, pulling no punches. “Buffaloes simply wanted it more. We lacked the resilience. And when we got into good positions, we didn’t execute. The two tries we conceded came from our own mistakes, lapses in concentration.”
He lamented the familiar pattern of domination without reward. “We’ve seen it before. We reach the green zone and leave without points. That’s been our biggest flaw this season.”
And then there was the pitch. The rainy weather had left Kyadondo soggy and uneven, the kind of surface that stifled KOBs’ fast-paced, expansive style. Still, Mudoola refused to lean on it as a crutch.
“Yes, the pitch doesn’t suit us when it rains, it becomes a very shabby game but that’s nature. We can’t use that as an excuse. We need to adapt.”
When asked about the substitutions, particularly the impact of pulling off Pius Ogena and the reshuffle that followed, Mudoola stood firm in his decisions.
“I believe we made the right calls. Our subs actually pushed us forward. But again, the issue was execution. It didn’t matter who was on, we didn’t take our chances.”
One positive, however, came from an unlikely source. With star ball carrier Justin Kimono out, all eyes turned to his replacement, Trevor and Mudoola was impressed.
“He did a good job, gained us yards. The team isn’t shabby. We’ve got depth. Now it’s about getting our minds right.”
Looking ahead to the second leg, Mudoola’s message is clear: ten points isn’t insurmountable but the hunger must return.
“We can close that gap in 10, 20 minutes. But the boys need to want it. My coaching style relies on player leadership. They have to dig deep. If they need to go up 30–0 by halftime, then that’s what they must fight for.”
Elsewhere, the quarterfinals lit up with action. Jinja Hippos, Black Pirates and Heathens all took first-leg wins, setting the stage for entertaining second legs.
All Quarterfinal First Leg Results
Friday April 4
- Victoria Sharks 26-41 Heathens
Saturday April 5
- Buffaloes 17-7 KOBs
- Rhinos 11-20 Jinja Hippos
- Walukuba Barbarians 20-27 Black Pirates
The return legs will be played on Saturday, April 12th with aggregate scores determining which teams move on to the semifinals.
- Heathens Vs Victoria Sharks – Kyadondo
- KOBs Vs Buffaloes – Legends
- Jinja Hippos Vs Rhinos – Dam Waters
- Black Pirates Vs Walukuba Barbarians- Kings Park
