After winning a domestic double in the Rugby 15s last year, the Black Pirates now turn their attention to the cross-border Enterprise Cup.
In the Ugandan leg of the revived Enterprise Cup, the Black Pirates are going to play against 5 time Cup winners, KCB Rugby, in the closing game of the day at the Muteesa II Stadium, Wankulukuku.
The Pirates have recently been very dominant on the local scene, scooping 2 of the last 3 league championships.
The Enterprise Cup’s return to Uganda has been well received by the fans and officials, but no one is more excited than the players and their coaches.
Marvin Odong, the head coach of the Black Pirates, has described it as “a timely return” and can’t wait to see his charges seize this opportunity.
“I think it’s both a welcome and great opportunity to expose our younger generation of players to an elite level of rugby, a rung below full internationals/tests, but above local club competition,” Odong noted.
Odong is confident in his boys showing up big, given the preparation that they have put in ahead of the game.
“I believe we’re well prepared. We’ve got a system and style of play that speaks to our many strengths. We’ve taken the learnings from the preceding six premiership games and made adjustments. All in all, I think we’re in a good place,” Odong confidently remarks.
This year’s Enterprise Cup is going to be a new experience for most of the Black Pirates players, and Odong believes that there are plenty of lessons to be learned from playing unfamiliar opponents
“The players are going to appreciate that a cross-border fixture demands a high level of intensity, accuracy, and execution. Those are areas we have been deliberate about in our preparation,” he notes.
Additionally, Odong believes that this game will allow his players to apply themselves in a more demanding environment and show that they can match that standard.
“From our point of view, it is a good opportunity for the players to show that they can rise to the challenge and continue developing into a team that is comfortable performing in demanding situations.”
The goal for the Pirates is simple: to win the game and the competition at large.
“We don’t work as hard as we do to expect anything less than victory. That said, one of our goals is to assess how effective our system is against unfamiliar opposition. We’re looking to see what can be augmented as a result of the exposure to another brand of rugby,” notes Odong.
Should the Pirates advance from this stage, they face either KOBs or Nondescripts RFC in Uganda.