There is a likelihood of the contest for who will be the 2025 Nile Special Uganda Rugby Sevens Series champion ending at the Kabale 7s this weekend.
In both men’s and women’s competitions, the series leaders, Walukuba Barbarians & Thunderbirds and their closest challengers, Toyota Buffaloes & Avengers, respectively, are in alternate pools destined to meet in the quarterfinals.
For the women, the Avengers are in Pool A while the Thunderbirds are in Pool B. For the men, Walukuba are in Pool A and Buffaloes are in Pool D.
Women’s Pools for 2025 Kabale 7s:
• POOL A: Nile Rapids, Avengers, Walukuba Titans, Buddu Cuppaz*.
• POOL B: Thunderbirds, She Wolves, Black Pearls, Kigezi Queens*.
Men’s Pools:l for 2025 Kabale 7s:
• POOL A: Walukuba Barbarians, Hippos, Gulu City Falcons, KIU Crows*.
• POOL B: Heathens, Elgon Wolves, Mongers, Kigezi Silverbacks*.
• POOL C: Pirates, Rams, Eagles, Tooro Lions*.
• POOL D: KOBs, Buffaloes, Rhinos, Buddu Bears*.
It has been such a competitive series that it is difficult to identify an “easy” group. This makes it critical for all title contenders to progress to the main cup knockout round without fail.
Walukuba lead the Buffaloes by twelve points while the Thunderbirds have six points on the Avengers in the overall standings.
Should the Avengers and Buffaloes fail to make it to the main cup knockout round, the series will be as good as done. Should Thunderbirds and Walukuba fail, then the series will be decided on the final stop the following weekend.
Kabale 7s, to be played from September 20-21 at the Kabale Municipal Stadium, is the penultimate stop of the 2025 series. This is the second time (first held in 2021 and won by Pirates) in history the series heads to Kabale for the men, and the first time the women will compete.
