Despite losing the Coronation Sevens main cup final during the final circuit, Betway Kobs Rugby Club have won the 2021 Guinness Sevens Series title.
Kobs have won, and defended their sevens title, on criteria of points difference ahead of rivals Stanbic Black Pirates in the tournament that was played over two days at Legends Rugby Grounds.
Having hammered Rams in the quarterfinal and Mongers in the semifinal with a combined total of 86 points, the Blue Army, as they are popularly known, had done enough to guarantee the overall series title. Black Pirates needed to score 59 points against Kobs in the final match to swing the series into their favour, which was too tall an order for them to achieve.
In doing so, being the sevens champions for the second time running, Kobs have completed the season double having gone unbeaten earlier in the year during the XV league.
However, it was such a cracking match of sevens rugby between the two protagonists – Kobs and Black Pirates – in the main cup final. As has been all season round in the encounter between the two rivals, the team that struck first would be eventual winners at full time. Black Pirates’ two tries in the first half by Timothy Kisiga and Alex Aturinda were enough for a 14-07 victory despite Joseph Aredo’s brilliant individual try for the Kobs in the second half.
At the final whistle, both teams were in celebration for the wins they had achieved; Kobs for reigning supreme in Ugandan rugby and Black Pirates for coming back from a 3-0 deficit to level matters in the series.
A Kobs fan celebrates 
Black Pirates fans celebrate
Heathens received the award for finishing as second runners-up in the series while Sailors lost their status as a core side.
To determine who will take Sailors’ place in next year’s series, the invitational teams from the respective regions will play a national qualifiers tournament that will be the final tournament of the 2021 men’s rugby season.
The players will then take a well-deserved break until January next year when the XV season commences.
