Buffaloes have chance to enhance reputation

Rugby. Toyota Buffaloes punched above their weight last season with a fourth-place finish and will be aiming for more in this new-look season.

To many, Toyota Buffaloes have a genuine chance of finishing in the top four of the Nile Special Super 8 Rugby League like they did last season.

That would guarantee the Kyadondo side a place in the playoffs. With champions MTN Heathens, DMark Kobs and G4S Pirates near certainties for the top three, the crabs mean everything.

Buffaloes host travel-weary Sadolin Mongers today in the definitive game of the second weekend and perhaps the season. If last year’s clash is anything to go by, we are in for a treat. There was a brawl as Buffaloes edged Mongers 23-15 to confirm the latter’s travel headache as they always struggle away from the comfort of Entebbe’s ‘House of Pain’.
The instigators of the fight remain Mongers’ hooker Joseph Tamale and Buffaloes’ inside centre Alfred Bijik. However, a lot has changed since the game was brought into disrepute.
Backs Philip Wokorach and Allan Okello have moved on to Heathens. That also confirms Buffaloes’ conveyor belt as probably the best presently.
Their competitive spirit never ceases just like veteran Robert Seguya’s ability to re-invent his game.

The flanker scored their first try of the season in last weekend’s 41-12 victory over Rhino.

A quick start helped by the agility and boot of wing Philip Pariyo made it 22-0 at halftime. “We will keep bringing in young players who challenge the so-called best,” said Seguya on the eve of today’s game.
During the brawl last year, Mongers were adamant the referee was poor and nothing seems to have changed as they still blame their 9-7 loss to Pirates due to poor officiating. Kigongo Ssebalamu, the Mongers’ fly-half is a vocal critic of officiating in the league, a bandwagon that has grown over time.

“I have no regrets over what happened. The referee was incompetent,” Kigongo insists when reference is made to the chaos.

Besides all this, Mongers do possess the reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) in eighth man Andrew Olweny and the presence of 2007 African champion Ronald Adigasi on the bench helps.

Mongers know that another loss to Buffaloes could represent a fundamental change in the standings – similar to last year as the lakeside team has continued to slip from the top three contenders in recent years.
At Legends Rugby Club, former Kampala RFC ground, Rhino face G4S Pirates hoping to hit the right gear whereas champions Heathens are expected to be too good for Makerere University outfit Impis at the latter’s own pitch code named ‘graveyard’ and located below Nkrumah Hall.

ikigongo@ug.nationmedia.com