Stanbic Black Pirates Rugby Football Club have strengthened their second place position at the Uganda rugby premiership table, after defeating Jinja Hippos RFC with 71-7, during their encounter at the Jinja based rugby grounds on Saturday.
This has been the first encounter between Pirates and Hippos since the duo battled for last year’s rugby premiership title.
The May 2025 Nile Special rugby premiership final was a hot contest for the duo who maintained a draw for 80 minutes of playing time, until Hippos gave way during extra time, offering room Pirates to sail through with 44-23 to win.
With Hippos now placed faraway from the rugby premiership’s top four positions, which the latter has enjoyed for the past 10 years, the Pirates got an easy sail, according themselves a comfortable position.
Pirates stands in the second position at the rugby premiership table with 28 points, slightly behind leaders, Toyota Buffaloes RFC, on top with 29 points.
Pirates has enjoyed back and forth triumphant victories, following their 25th, April victory of 83-3 against Warriors RFC, a move which showcased their epic stand.
Buffaloes equally had a similar encounter with Warriors, earning a score of 50-5, which kept them at the top of the rugby premiership table.
Pirates’ strength and conditioning coach, Byron Okuba, credits this season’s victories on consistency in their player handling, bouying them to display stunning performance throughout their game duties.
Okuba says they continue to interchange players, which reduces fatigue amongst them and offers them ample resting time to pursue the fixture with ease.
Okuba also says that, their team has built a system where players’ fitness levels are routinely assessed and viable solutions devised to keep them fit at all times.
He also says players are offered a platform to freely express themselves, which keeps them psychologically balanced ahead of their game encounters.
Pirates has only lost to Heathens this season and Okuba says that as defending champions, they aim to maintain the winning strides all through to the playoffs, which will accord them ability to retain the trophy.
Meanwhile, Hippos’ head coach, Raymond Querisma maintains his club’s stance of finishing well in the league, but he declined to go into details.
SOURCE: URN
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