Stanbic Black Pirates Rugby Club are the Nile Special 7s Series 2023 champions.
As a bare minimum, the series leaders needed to reach the 5/6th place playoff finals to be crowned champions. But also, finishing above their closest challengers Heathens would guarantee the title before then.
And as fate would have it, the series title decider came early in the morning during the Cup Quarterfinal. Pirates, who topped their pool unbeaten, faced Heathens who finished second in theirs after a shock defeat against Mongers.
Pirates blew Heathens out of the park by 21-05 despite conceding first early in the opening half. Tries from Haruna Mohammed, Arnold Atukunda, and Sydney Gongodyo sealed the all-important victory. Timothy Kisiga converted all the three tries. Heathens’ try was scored by youngster Daniel Malcolm Okello.
The Bweyogerere-based side have thus won their second national 7s series title five years after clinching their first in 2018.
The Sea Robbers’ crowning moment will come at the end of the Kyabazinga 7s Cup Final as the curtains fall on what has been an exciting national series.
