Despite losing the opening match of the 2025 women’s Nile Special Rugby Premier League on Saturday afternoon, Avengers Rugby Club made history.
The Entebbe-based club became the first rugby club in Uganda – men’s or women’s – to have players’ names printed on the backs of their jerseys.
According to Avengers’ coach Beatrice Atim, club secretary Simon Wakabi first suggested printing the players’ names on the jerseys after the club received a donation of 105 jerseys and 385 pairs of socks late last year from Bede’s Senior School in England.
“We do not have a sponsor and the team has been struggling financially. But we were fortunate to receive Mr Peter Kangoroti Karanja as the club patron who has been lobbying for support. He got a partnership with Bede’s, a school in the UK. They donated this jersey to us on grounds that we were (2024 7s series) champions,” Atim said to Kawowo Sports during a brief chat on Tuesday afternoon.
The green jerseys with thin strips of white running along the sides and around the back were launched during Avengers’ close-of-year annual dinner.
Thereafter, members of the club’s executive committee agreed to personalise the jerseys with players’ names and numbers.
“Members sat and agreed to personalise (the jerseys). The girls have put in so much effort amidst our financial challenges.
“We want to set a precedent. Soccer players do it, we can actually also do it in rugby. It’s a way of appreciating, and getting the players to feel motivated and attached to the team.”
Atim added that the jerseys belong to the players and will remain their personal property even after leaving the club or retiring from active rugby altogether.
Before Avengers, only the men’s 7s national team have had personalised jerseys in all of Ugandan rugby. This is from as far back as during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and has been the tradition since.
