Kobs beat Rams to win Kyabazinga 7s circuit in Jinja
“It has been a very good tournament to organise. This is the second year in a row, and this keeps improving. A lot of changes in terms of surprises, in terms of team preparation, in terms of the calibre of fans coming through and expectations from the community.”
Thunderbirds jubilating with their trophy after emerging as winners of the Kyabazinga Sevens women's category at Kyabazinga Stadium in Bugembe on Sunday. They beat Walukuba Titans 15-12. (Credit: Donald Kiirya)
JINJA - KCB Kobs edged Rams 22-19 in a tense final to claim the Kyabazinga 7s title at Kyabazinga Stadium in Bugembe, Jinja city.
The second-last stop of the six-stop Nile Special National 7s series, hosted by Walukuba Barbarians over the weekend, delivered plenty of drama as Kobs staged a second-half fightback to snatch victory.
Kobs vice-captain Rasul Abiriga said the side refused to surrender after trailing early.
“The first half was kind of tough, but this is a sport. You can never give up till the last whistle. First half was theirs; the second half was our turn. That’s why we never gave up. We kept on pushing. At last, we won,” Abiriga told Vision Sport.
He added that the young squad, with only a few senior players, had grown through the process.
“We have never been to the final. It’s a big club, but it’s been a process. You can see all the upcoming kids. We have only two seniors, but they have been lifting the guys up. We thank our coaches, we thank our manager, and we thank the fans. And at last, God has given us what we can get,” Abiriga said.
Looking ahead to the Coronation Sevens, Abiriga was cautious.
“This is a sport. You can’t promise something. But what we’re going to do best is go back, tick boxes and correct the wrongs we have done. Then we’ll see what we have. Everything is possible.”
Rams winger and circuit most valuable player Yusuf Ssemakula admitted his side lost their way after a strong start.
In the upcoming Coronation Sevens tournament, Ssemakula promised intensity.
“Just know it’s going to be a tight ship. As Rams, we believe in hard work. I don’t believe in talent; I believe in hard work and luck. We push the ship, and we are ready to battle. The fans should expect fire. That’s all I can promise.”
In the women’s category, Thunderbirds defeated Walukuba Titans to win the title. Thunderbirds captain Sandra Lona Amoli praised her team’s mentality after trailing 12-0 at half-time.
KCB Kobs jubilating with their trophy after emerging as winners of the Kyabazinga Sevens at Kyabazinga stadium in Bugembe on Sunday. They beat Rams 22-19. (Credit: Donald Kiirya)
“The final was tough. They were leading us 12-0 in the first half. But the guys started to come back in the second half and worked really hard. It shows a really great mentality that they pulled off from behind and came out as champions. We had a lot of composure. Even when they were leading, we still believed in ourselves that we could still pull this through. That was the biggest thing — the mentality,” Amoli said.
She said the side is focused on the final circuit of the year.
“Definitely each and every circuit has its own problems, but we are focused on the last circuit of the year and we’re looking forward to having a great tournament,” Amoli summed.
Uganda Rugby Union honorary secretary Peter Odongo described the tournament as a success.
He said the Union will continue partnering with traditional institutions.
“The seven circuits every year will be run in tandem with the different traditional leadership that we have in this country because they are really a very good hub in which we can promote the sport. They have the infrastructure, they have the will and the support of the community. As we go into the Coronation Sevens, we expect a lot of activities. The tone has been set from the Kyabazinga Sevens. It’s going to be a lot of fun, a lot of good rugby. No one is still holding the final trophy in their hand,” Odongo noted.
On grassroots development, Odongo noted the importance of equipment and community engagement.
“The balls are really part of the equipment that we need in the community because rugby starts with the rugby ball. We promised that we need this sport in the kingdom and that we’d go into the schools. The community is very receptive. You’ve seen that on Friday we had the energy programme in Kamuli. A lot of children came through. That is where our growth starts from. We are going to work very much with the community because through the community it’s easier to advance our agenda,” he added.
Walukuba Rugby Club secretary Eric Kaluya said hosting the fifth edition of the Kyabazinga Sevens marked continued growth of the game in Busoga.
“We are grateful for having the opportunity to host this year’s Kyabazinga Sevens, our 5th edition—Rugby here in Bugembe has been impactful because we have been able to set out in very many different areas of Busoga. We started five years ago, and as of today we have been able to launch clubs in Namutumba, Iganga and Mayuge.”
“We are in 10 schools in Jinja as partners. We have now launched in Kamuli, and we have been awarded some land in Budiope where we will be setting up an academy of rugby and the Launchpad for rugby in the greater Busoga. We feel our impact on the ground is being felt, and we have not done enough yet. We’ll do more going forward,” Kaluya said.
Busoga kingdom’s chief prince (Issabalangira) Samuel Zirabamuzale Nkuutu, accompanied by minister for general duties in the Office of the Prime Minister of Busoga kingdom Edward Munaaba, handed over a trophy, a replica of the new Nile Bridge, to champions KCB Kobs.
The winners also received a sh5m cash prize, while runners-up Rams collected sh3m. Stanbic Black Pirates finished third and Platinum Credit Heathens fourth.
The circuit’s most valuable players were Yusuf Ssemakula of Rams in the men’s category and Caroline Anena of Walukuba Titans in the women’s category.