Stanbic Black Pirates will play in their second successive men’s Rugby Premiership final.
This was after beating Platinum Credit Heathens home and away in the two-legged semifinals. The first leg at Kyadondo last week was a 17-12 and the second leg at Kings Park this Saturday ended 25-19.
Pirates ran a tight ship in the first half, denying Heathens any points to lead by 10-00 in the opening stanza. Jeremiah Okello scored the try and Nkore kicked a conversion & a penalty.
Heathens unlocked the defence early in the second half and began their comeback. They got a penalty try to make it 10-07 in the forty-eighth minute and Aaron Ofoyrwoth touched down for a 14-10 lead with Malcolm Okello’s conversion just six minutes later.
But Pirates surged back ahead through Sydney Gongodyo in the sixty-second minute and Timothy Kisiga (conversion by Ivan Magomu) two minutes later to make it 22-14.
Magomu struck a penalty in the seventy-third minute to put it out of reach of Heathens at 25-14.
Heathens needed to score thrice to complete the comeback but they had to settle for a consolation try in the last play through Herbert Champara.
The aggregate score of the tie was 42-31 in favour of Pirates.
In winning this match, Pirates have completed a clean sweep of Heathens this season. Three wins out of three matches, avenging the two defeats last year. The loss means that Heathens will relinquish their premiership title.
Pirates will face Hippos in the final on Saturday, May 10, 2025. Since Pirates finished the regular season above Hippos, their home ground Kings Park will host this final.
