Bell Lager rugby league kicks off

By Kalungi Kabuye The 2001 Bell Lager Rugby League kicks off today with a draw that will see the top teams have a relatively easy first round. With 12 teams divided into three groups, the top three seeds should be looking for an uneventful month of April. "We want to take it easy and avoid unnecessary injuries like last year," a player for the MTN Heathens said. "Last year's second round was difficult because of all the injuries we picked up while on national duty in the Sevens World Cup qualifiers." Four-time winners and reigning champions Underwriter Kobs RFC are grouped together with Rugaruga, Buffaloes and Mulago Rams in Group A. They open this year's campaign against Buffaloes at Kampala RFC, while Rugaruga take on Rams at Kyadondo RFC grounds. MTN Heathens, grouped with Rhinos, Nile and Shepards in Group B, play Shepards at Kyadondo, while Rhino travel to Jinja to play Nile at the Dam Waters RFC. Last year's Most Improved Team, Black Pirates RFC, are top seeds in Group C, which also has Makerere University's Impis, Kyambogo and Nkumba University. Pirates take on Kyambogo at Kampala, while Impis host Nkumba at Makerere. The winners from each group in the first round automatically advance to the Main Cup competition, while the runners-up play-off to determine the two extra Cup teams. The rest of the teams will then compete in the Uganda Shield, won last year by the Rhinos. Saracens and Entebbe Mongers will also join the Shield at this stage. Ends