The top four ranked teams in the men’s XVs league/championship of Ugandan rugby have not changed in the past five years. Even during the times when any of Heathens, KOBs, Pirates, and Hippos had a bad season, they still stayed head and shoulders above the other teams. Year in, year out.
Before 2024 when it was still a round-robin home & away competition format, dropping points in just one match significantly reduced one’s chances of winning the league as early as on the opening matchday.
But now, with the introduction of a knockout (playoffs) round, the stakes are lower during the early stages (regular season) of the premiership. One can afford to err as long as they stay within the top eight ranked teams and qualify for the playoffs where they can then shoot without missing.
Which brings us to Round Five of the 2025 men’s Uganda Rugby Premiership this Saturday. Stanbic Black Pirates are set to host Platinum Credit Heathens at Kings Park. Pirates and Heathens are the two most recent men’s champions of Uganda. They are both still unbeaten and are tied on points at the top of the table.
There are two schools of thought in the build-up to this gigantic clash.
One; this is a must-win match for bragging rights on the rugby streets of Uganda. Especially for the hosts Pirates who have not beaten Heathens in two meetings since the 2023 season and need to defend their home turf. This match is also an opportunity for these two to throw down the gauntlet in the title fight.
Two; there will be no major consequences to either team for losing this match. Pirates and Heathens will not drop lower than fourth in the standings and will have no cause to worry about their seeding for the playoffs since KOBs and Hippos are also in the top four.
I belong to the second. Neither will the premiership be won nor lost at Kings Park this Saturday. As it happened last season, a team can still reach the final even after losing a match — Heathens lost just once in their run to the final while Pirates were beaten four times.
And so, in one of the most rare occurrences, Pirates and Heathens have been handed a blank cheque to play as they please. Express themselves, test their set plays, check their combinations… name it! That’s something to look forward to.
Full Round Five Fixtures (all kick off times local time – EAT):
- 2 p.m. – Kyadondo: Victoria Sharks v KCB KOBs
- 4 p.m. – Kyadondo: Toyota Buffaloes v Kampani’s Eagles
- 4 p.m. – Mbale: Elgon Wolves v Jinja Hippos
- 4 p.m. – Kings Park: Stanbic Black Pirates v Platinum Credit Heathens
- 4 p.m. – Legends: Warriors v Rhinos
- 4 p.m. – Abel Dhaira Memorial: Walukuba Barbarians v Plascon Mongers
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