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Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Jinja Hippos rugby club on Saturday qualified for the masters rugby finals after beating their rivals Walukuba Barbarians by 21:20.
The highly contested game was characterized by competitive ball-playing skills, maintaining competitiveness against each other, however, Hippos sailed through with one point against the Barbarians.
Barbarians’ head coach, Leonard Rubambura appreciated the good movement of the ball between the two sides, which raises a positive flag for the development of the sport outside Kampala city.
Rubambura says that his boys lost over seven kicks, and lacked communication in defence, which resulted in their loss. Rubambura notes that the masters tournament has been a learning experience for the boys, who will automatically throng the top-flight league, with a sense of urge to rectify some of the shortcomings in their ball display.
Rubambura said that their side will focus on improvement in the scrums, role play, defence and meaningful communication, which he believes will make them a better side in the forthcoming season, kicking off on 11th, January
Hippos head coach, Edmund Querisma says that derby games are highly contested, with each side outpouring their best to the fans and any form of victory is well deserved.
Querisma also credited the Barbarians for their competitiveness, which he believes to be a key milestone in rugby development across Eastern Uganda.
Querisma notes that, despite the well-preparedness of their opponent, they reorganized themselves largely the defence and this enabled them to slightly excel in this derby encounter. “Our opponent has slapped it well, however, with a few tricks in defence, we were good to go out of this with an extra point against them. Nevertheless, it was a good game, we enjoyed ourselves and I believe the fans too, it’s what to expect of any derby,” he says.
Hippos will be facing off with the Heathens in the battle for the masters rugby finals at the Kyadondo rugby grounds on 21st, December.
Querisma says that their derby encounter has mentally prepared them to confidently face off with Heathens, despite them being the best in the country’s top-flight league. “I am proud of the boys, they kept mentally positive all through and since we are going for a bigger opponent, this experience was essential for us. I don’t want to disrespect Walukuba, but you all know who we are going for. Heathens is the top in the league,” he says.
Nonetheless, Querisma is hopeful of exhibiting an A’class game against the Heathens irrespective of their seniority in this field. “We are not willing to just throw it there to just give it to them like that, no! We are going to give them a fight, they should get ready and I am hopeful that, we are headed to display a good game,” he says.
Masters rugby is a pre-season invitational tourney, that prepares the participating teams for the top-flight league.
This year’s masters rugby attracted eight teams comprising Jinja Hippos, Walukuba Barbarians, Heathens, Toyota Buffaloes, Impis, Rhino, Kobs and Rams.
The participating teams were organized in two groups, playing out against each other for the past three weeks, with the best teams facing off for the finals.
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