Jinja Hippos come of age with top prize in Rwanda

What you need to know:

BABY STEPS. Having existed for only two years todate, Jinja Hippos are slowly but steadily working their way to the top with a mix of youngsters and sound structures.

KAMPALA. Before last year’s National Sevens Circuit kicked off, few from the rugby fraternity had ever heard of the Jinja Hippos but every time they graced a circuit, they won over a handful of hearts with their scintillating displays that saw them come third behind champions Buffaloes and Heathens at the end of the Sevens season.
Under the tutelage of Saidi Bin, a university student playing for Buffaloes, the boys from the town that preserves the Source of the Nile were not done as they put up a fight in the Uganda Cup only to fall 34-10 in the Shield final against Kampala-based Stallions.

A year down the road, they continue to go places and it looks like nothing is about to stop them despite not existing until 2013 when a defunct Nile RFC gave way. Last Saturday saw them add yet another milestone to their fast growing reputation when they made a long trip down to Rwanda for the Genocide Memorial Sevens.
Despite being cash strapped and without a sponsor, they emerged champions with one of their own: George Akeno scooping the Most Valuable Player (MVP)’s award.
For a side that largely depends on secondary schools around Jinja for manpower with the help of scholarships from the Tag Rugby Trust, the easterners are setting a trend and it will not be too long before they attract bigger headlines in the near future.

ABOUT HIPPOS: Started in late 2013, the club is student-oriented. In the beginning it was primarly a collection of some U-14s and a couple of older players, who had split from Nile RFC. Their home ground is Dam Waters.