Makalama vows comeback after Budo’s rugby defeat to Namilyango

Budo coach Brian Makalama acknowledged defeat against Namilyango but vowed to regroup and come back stronger for redemption.

Makalama’s remarks followed a 26-7 loss to Namilyango College in the U20 category of the schools’ rugby championship held in Budo on Sunday.

“It was a tough day for us. With schools just reopening, we had limited preparation time. However, we’ll address our weaknesses and return stronger in our upcoming matches against Hana Mixed and London College,” Makalama said.

Unfortunately, Makalama won’t have a chance for a direct rematch due to the new round-robin format, where the top two teams advance straight to the semi-finals.

Namilyango coach Emmanuel Walakira expressed his delight after his team’s 26-7 victory over Budo U20, known as the Red Lions.

“I’m thrilled with this win, as we now need just one more victory to secure a semi-final spot. However, I’ll save the real celebration for when we defeat them at the nationals, where they’ve historically outperformed us in trophies,” Walakira said.

Budo, the defending national champions, retained their title last year by defeating St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK) 15-12 in the final. In 2023, they edged out Namilyango 23-21 to claim the championship in the 15s version of the game held in Mbarara.

Budo players trying stop a Namilyango opponent with the ball during their Championship match in Budo on Sunday. PHOTO: Johnson Were

During Sunday’s match at Budo, Namilyango dominated the first half, taking a 12-0 lead with tries from Mark Kiyingi and Joshua Wakooli, complemented by a conversion from Deogratius Andruale.

In the second half, Budo applied pressure and managed a penalty try by Trevor Sekankya, narrowing the gap. However, their hopes were dashed when Andruale scored another try, sealing Namilyango’s 19-7 victory.

In other matches, Budo’s U15 team triumphed over Namilyango 35-21, while Namilyango’s U17 squad secured a 24-7 win.