The freshest outfit on the Uganda Rugby scene has finally had a taste of the game in the top flight. Victoria Sharks, only formed as Victoria University’s rugby team in 2023 with thirteen players, played their first top-flight match last Saturday (January 11, 2025). This was against Kampani’s Eagles at Kitante Primary School.
They weathered sustained pressure from Eagles to win by 22-16 points in the presence of a handful of fellow players, university students, and their fans in the stands.
Unlike other freshly promoted teams, expectations of Victoria Sharks are high.
2024 was their first full XVs season having only played 7s previously. But they breezed through the Central Regional Championship and National Promotional Playoffs without a single defeat.
So, after getting promoted, Victoria Sharks signed a record thirty-seven players in preparation for life on the high table. And not just any thirty-seven. The list of signings includes former Uganda Rugby Cranes vice-captains Charles Uhuru and Paul Epillo, former and current Rugby Cranes players Alhaji Manano, Robert Aziku, Saul Kivumbi, and even former coach Davis Kyewalabye. Plus, Morgan Odoch from defending champions Heathens and four Kenyans are in.
It is the biggest haul in a single transfer season that Uganda has ever seen. The majority of these transfers received scholarships to study courses of their interest at the university.
Head coach Kevin Makmot, speaking before kickoff at Kitante, told Kawowo Sports, “For this season, we are looking at finishing in the top four. That’s the main target. Then maybe next season, we can come back and compete for the prize when we have settled.”
Victoria Sharks are currently the only academic institution competing in the top flight of Ugandan rugby. The first team train and will play their home matches at Kyadondo Rugby Club and the second team will participate in the Reserve League.
The Story of Victoria University’s Football Team
This is not the first time Victoria University has invested heavily in a sports outfit. In the early 2010s, Sports Club Victoria University (SCVU) took Ugandan football by storm.
SCVU was founded on 19 August 2011. They came, saw, and conquered in just five seasons under Serbian national, Simo Dubajic the owner.
The club embarked on their journey in the second division (the FUFA Big League), comfortably winning the promotional play-off final against Aurum Roses at Mandela National Stadium Namboole to gain promotion to the first division (now the Uganda Premier League).
Their first head coach in history was Serbian tactician Ivan Zoric with a galaxy of star players, including Denis Iguma – a record $15,000 (fifteen thousand United States Dollars) signing.
Following promotion to the Uganda Super League in 2012, SCVU finished fifth in the 2012–13 season and won its first major trophy (the Uganda Cup) in 2013. They also played on the continent (in the 2014 CAF Confederation Cup), falling to Democratic Republic of Congo’s CS Don Bosco during the first round. SCVU also clinched a regional trophy – the Nile Basin Cup in Sudan.
In 2014, when Dubajic relocated to Kenya to set up the British Education College, he reportedly sold off the club to vocal politician Hon. Muhammed Nsereko, the current Member of Parliament representing Kampala Central.
Sadly, the club did not live beyond the next two seasons due to poor performance, unpaid players’ dues, and player revolts. Hence, its natural death.
Sustainability Plan for the long term
Victoria University’s management has since changed. The institution now owned by prominent businessman Sudhir Ruparelia is run by ambitious Dr Lawrence Muganga as the Vice-Chancellor.
Patrick Ssebuliba, the Sports Coordinator at Victoria University and Sharks’ chairperson, told Kawowo Sports that he has support from the university administration.
“I have a lot of support from management. We are not playing only rugby… Victoria University is not looking at only one sport.”
Victoria University’s teams compete regularly in netball, basketball, handball, and chess tournaments at university and national levels. The university also has students representing the country on various national teams including rugby.
“Our mission is not short-term. Majority of my (Sharks) players are students. So we cannot give them scholarships and then say we have stopped playing rugby now.
“I don’t think we are closing in two, three or four years. This is a big project and we want to use rugby for people to know what Victoria University is made of.”
Victoria Sharks’ rise through the ranks and the record-breaking transfer business has caught everybody’s attention. Now, all eyes are eager to see what they have brought to the table.
The post Will Victoria Sharks thrive in Ugandan rugby for long? appeared first on Kawowo Sports.