Pirates will be looking to defend their title this Saturday as they face the record champions Platinum Credit Heathens in the finals of the Men’s Nile Special Rugby League at Kyadondo Rugby Grounds.
The Stanbic Black Pirates beat the Jinja Hippos 27-23 and winning on average in the second leg of the semi-finals at King Park Arena to qualify for the finals. The Stanbic Black Pirates won the 2023 season after defeating the Kobs at Legends 23-7, winning their second league title, with Ivan Magomu excelling.
The Pirates started this season a bit sloppy, losing some games that they should have won, such as the home game against the newly promoted Eagles Rugby Club and narrowly surviving in the semi-finals against the Rhinos Rugby Club and Jinja Hippos.
Coming into this game, both the Pirates and the Heathens have their national team players in intense training. Some of the players expected to make it for Saturday’s game include Roy Kizito, Timothy Kisiga, Defense Minister Isaac Massa, and Desire Ayera among other notable national players. In the Platinum Credit Heathens team, senior player Aaron Ofoyrwoth and young star Daniel Malcolm were instrumental in beating the Kobs to qualify for the finals.
The Stanbic Black Pirates will be looking forward to winning their third league title as they clash with the favorites, the Heathens, who have only lost one game during the season, which was in the second leg of the semi-finals to the Kobs.
The Platinum Credit Heathens, on the other hand, will be looking to win their 17th title in the 2024 Uganda Rugby Union season.