Plascon Monger’s captain Robin Odrua has attributed his side’s Nile Special Rugby Championship quarterfinal run to preparations at the start of the campaign. Having missed part of last season due to injury, the winger guided his side to the playoffs where they lost to KCB KOBs across two legs.
The Entebbe-based side finished the regular season fifth having won eight and lost three of their eleven games as Odrua topped the scorers’ charts with 143 points. This saw them book a tie against KCB KOBs in the new-format championship.
Despite losing 17-13 in the first leg, the Jerome Buyonga-coached side put up a spirited display and carried the same momentum into the return fixture played over the weekend at Legends.
They matched the KOBs’ intensity in the decisive tie but could not capitalize on penalty attempts and attacking opportunities which gave the “blue army” side a 17-6 halftime lead before they went on to comfortably seal a 51-16 victory.
The result ended Mongers’ hopes for a first-ever title but Odrua believes it has been a memorable campaign.
“We have been in transition in recent years but this season we stepped up and everyone enjoyed it because we prepared for it. We are going to move into the next season better and we will make it tough for any opponents that come our way,” noted Odrua.
On facing the KCB KOBs, the winger said it was an exciting challenge.
“I enjoy playing against them because they push me to perform better. We should have won these two games because we were the better side but then the results speak differently,” he said.
Odrua is currently part of the Rugby Cranes 15s team that is gearing up for the Africa Cup due July at Namboole and is excited about being summoned to the training side.
“Fortunately I was called up and for now I’m going to focus on making my stay there worthwhile,” he added.
Mongers will now shift focus to the national sevens and Uganda cup tournaments due later in the year as KCB KOBs are set to face arch-rivals Platinum Credit Heathens in the championship semifinals starting this weekend.
