The Thunderbirds finally won a circuit in the 2026 National 7s after a 24-7 victory over the She Wolves on Sunday.
The women’s defending National 7s champions fell in the Stone City 7s final against the Nile Rapids, followed by a semifinal exit at the hands of the Walukuba Titans at the Rujumba 7s.
When the National 7s made a stop at the Kyadondo Rugby Club, the Thunderbirds were determined to keep the title at home, an intention they made clear from Day 1 of the Kyadondo 7s.
On Day 1, the Thunderbirds only conceded 1 try, which came against the She Wolves. In their next games, Thunderbirds annihilated the Mbale Eagles 45-00, while a 26-00 win against the Walukuba Titans completed payback for the home team. This emphatic performance was inspired by the return of Sandra Lona Amoli, who was pivotal for the Thunderbirds in the title chase.
When it came to the knockout stage, the Thunderbirds were already assured of a top four spot at the Kyadondo 7s. On the other hand, the Nile Rapids, who were table leaders going into the weekend, had been relegated to the bottom 4, creating an opportunity for the Thunderbirds to leapfrog them.
A 29-5 semifinal victory over the Ewes, coupled with a Nile Rapids loss to the Walukuba Titans in the 5th place playoff, confirmed on paper that the Thunderbirds had gone on top of the National 7s women’s standings even before a single ball had been kicked.
In the final, the She Wolves put up a spirited fight but were simply outclassed by a Thunderbirds side that had an in-form Gertrude Kateesa on the wing. Kateesa, who was the eventual Kyadondo 7s MVP, had a hat trick of tries, with the other try coming from Proscovia Mukyala.
The consolation try for the She Wolves came from Sunday Anirwoth, but it wasn’t enough to dent Thunderbirds’ aspiration of going on top of the log.