Unmatched winners: Heathens beat Pirates to win the Nile Special Rugby Championship title

Nail-biting. Dramatic. And pressure. That’s how it was on Saturday as Platinum Credit Heathens locked horns with Stanbic Black Pirates at Kyadondo Rugby Grounds. In today’s speak, words were cut prior to the showdown, with fans from both sides raring to go. Above, the sun shone brightly, making it a perfect day to step out and support rugby with your squad. Nile Special was colder and unmatched in its finest form. The nyama was yummier. And the crowd? Droves of rugby fanatics were packed in the stands, clinging onto every run, move, and play.

Heathens went into the second half with a comfortable 9-point lead, but a the sea robbers – Pirates- stayed afloat  and fought back, bringing the the game go to the wire, with a full-time score of 15:13.

Pirates drew first blood through their talismanIvan Magomu, who kicked in a 40m penalty. However, the Kyadondo side was not deterred as they dominated the pack, building up to an Emmanuel Byamugisha bundle over the whitewash. Malcom Okello didn’t drop the ball with the extras, giving Heathens a 4-point cushion at 7:3.

The Heathens pack kept up their persistent pressure before captain Michael Wokorach released Joachim Chisano to touch down in the corner. This set up a half-time score of 12:3.

Malcom Okello would then stretch the lead further to 12 points with a well-taken penalty in the second half. However, Pirates weren’t done yet, as two quick tries from Roy Kizito and Jeremiah Okello mounted pressure on the home side.

A full-time score of 15:13 ensured that Heathens maintained their winning reputation while Pirates go back to the drawing board to hunt for their 3rd league title. The action-packed day saw performances from Fik Fameica and a host of deejays who kept the revelers on their feet.