The Heathens have been and still are a formidable force in Uganda Rugby, but trophies have eluded them in the 2025 season.
Last calendar year, they lifted 3 major titles: the Uganda Cup in January, the National 15s championship in June, and the National 7s in October. Additionally, they also won the Rugby Masters’ Cup, an invitational tournament that was concluded in December 2024.
This year, their 15s title defence was stopped at the semifinal by eventual winners, the Black Pirates, while they fought back to finish 2nd in the National 7s, a spot above Buffaloes RFC, their opponent this weekend.
Ahead of that semifinal clash, captain Norbert Okeny has highlighted their preparedness to win this Kyadondo Derby.
“We have been putting in the work and we are hungry for the win. We have also analysed areas where we fell short in the previous games, as we prepared for this encounter,” he noted.
The mission is now clear for the Yellow Machine: win the Uganda Cup and salvage the 2025 season. This is a mission that they haven’t taken their eyes off as they have won all their games in the campaign up to this point.
“As a team, we go into each tournament with the sole goal to win the trophy and the Uganda Cup is where we have set our eyes as a team. We have worked on putting up a strong team and we have made it clear we mean business as we focus on one game at a time,” remarked Okeny.
As to what a Uganda Cup title win would mean to Coach Tolbert Onyango’s trusted skipper and his charges, club pride and reputation come high on the priority list.
“As a captain, it’s an honour to lead a hardworking and excellence-minded group of individuals. The trophy would be the reward for the hard work.
“For Heathens, it would be a massive boost for our reputation and a testament to the team’s strength and resilience, in addition to opening new opportunities and attracting upcoming talent,” said Okeny.
The Heathens host the Buffaloes on Saturday at Kyadondo, a ground both teams are very familiar with. The Buffaloes hold the bragging rights to the swamp in 2025, but now the stakes are higher, with a Uganda Cup final in sight.