Titans thrash Western Select in regional rugby league opener

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Western Rugby Championship

Mbarara Titans 43 Western Select 17 

Wolves 20 Kahaya 00 

Mbarara Titans kicked off their Western Region Rugby Championship campaign in dominant fashion, overpowering newcomers Western Select 43-17 in their opening match at Ntare Grounds, Kakyeka, on Sunday.

Veteran Asa Muhanguzi set the tone for the Titans with a rare sprint, breaking past the Select defence to score the team’s first try just seven minutes into the game.

From there, the youthful Titans ran riot, with Kofi Annan Ayesiga touching down twice, while Henry Mutungi recorded the most points (11) through a try and three conversions. Lucky Babigumira, Harry Muhindo, and Brilliant Ahimbisibwe also contributed a try each, with Ahimbisibwe adding a conversion to cap off a dominant performance.

For Western Select, Oscar Muhindo, Ivan Munguleni, and Gabriel Akejo each managed a try, while Huzaifah Kalungi converted once in a losing effort.

“We are doing all to see that the game keeps growing in this region and this competition is one of the kind to lift us through. Some teams are still facing travel challenges and hence miss fixtures but we are still encouraging them to keep trying,” said Uganda Rugby Union Western Region Development Officer Timothy Iraka.

Meanwhile, Tooro Wolves were awarded a walkover victory as Uganda Technical College Kahaya failed to honour their away fixture.

The Western Rugby Championship (WRC) and Western Women Rugby Championship (WWRC) are 15-a-side tournaments contested by teams from the region. Organisers have structured the competition into pool stages followed by knockouts.

Men’s and women’s teams will compete in Ankole and Tooro Conferences, with four men’s and two women’s teams registered in each.

Iraka emphasised that the tournament aims to create a pathway for regional winners to compete in the national championship play-offs, with the ultimate goal of earning a spot in the URU Premiership.