Pirates boss expects the team to return to form

Feb 03, 2020

Out of seven games this season, Pirates have lost three and won two without a bonus point, which rules them out of the title race in the 10-team league.

Pirates and Kobs player battling for the ball. PHOTOS: Johnson Were

Stanbic Black Pirates chairman Eric Butime has assured the club's fans that the players will get back to winning ways and secure a bonus point in the Nile Stout Premier Rugby League soon.

Butime was reacting to fans concerns as the team that won a treble in the 2017 season (the league, Uganda Cup and National 7s circuit) is struggling and has not won a trophy in the last two years.

Out of seven games this season, Pirates have lost three and won two without a bonus point, which rules them out of the title race in the 10-team league.

On Saturday, Pirates defeated Plascon Mongers 13-9 after losing 15-13 against Rams the week before.

A team gets a bonus point when it wins a game with a three-try difference or when it loses the game with less than a seven-point gap.

Butime attributed the team's performance to injuries and the absence of senior players because of the national rugby sevens team engagements.

"We are rebuilding and will be back in a big way. We lost senior players Haruna Muhammad and Timothy Kisiga because of injury while Desire Ayera and Isaac Massa are with the National 7s team," Butime said.

Elsewhere, defending champions Heathens whipped Mulago Rams 69-3, Betway Kobs beat 9Barrels Warriors 45-6, Toyota Buffaloes edged Makerere Impis 24-10 while Jinja Hippos beat Shell Rimula Rhinos 30-12.

 A Kobs player tries to go past Pirates players

The Black Pearls snatched a rare 13-10 win over the Thunderbirds to kick off the women's rugby 15 season with optimism at the Kyadondo ground on Saturday.

"It was a tight game and we knew that this was going to be the case from last season. I am rebuilding the team currently because I have released the girls from the north to the northern league and we are still learning," Black Pearls coach Helen Buteme said after the game.

The Thunderbirds have in the last few years dominated women's 15's rugby and were favourites ahead of the match only for their rivals to put an impressive display.

The black Pearls on the other hand are more focused on undoing the Thunderbird empire one match at a time.

Nile Stout Premier Rugby League results
Warriors 6 Kobs 45
Mongers 9 Pirates 13
Impis 10 Buffaloes 24
Rams 3 Heathens 69
Hippos 30 Rhinos 12

Table standings
Heathens 33 pts
Kobs 29
Mongers 18
Warriors 17
Buffaloes 20
Pirates 19
Rams 11
Hippos 11
Rhinos 5
Makerere 1

Women's Rugby League
Central
Thunderbirds 10 B. Pearls 13
Northern
Lira 0 K. Queens 32

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