Endurance saves day for Lango College in rugby contest

Okello scored the winning try and conversion for Lango. PHOTO BY SAM MPOZA

Lira regional schools rugby champions Lango College recovered from a first half deficit of 7–0 to beat Mbale regional Champions Mbale High School 14 -07 in the Rugby 15s of the ongoing Fresh Dairy Secondary schools games taking place in Mbale town.

Mbale High drew first blood in a tense mid-afternoon game through a Halik Twalik well taken try to earn his side a five-point lead before team captain and coach player Bashir Atukunda scored a conversion to make it 7 -0.

However Lango who really needed to win this match to retain hopes of making the quarterfinals on Thursday after losing their opening game 0 – 24 on Sunday, depended on endurance to outpace their opponents in the second half. Hendry Ochile brought Lango College back into the game with a try a few minutes from restart before Stephen Okello easily scored the conversion to level the game at seven points apiece.

Moments later Dan Derrick Okello tore through Mbale High School’s defense manned by Bashir Atukunda and ran all the way to the try line for Lango College’s second try.

Okello once again stepped up to and hit the ball between the sticks for the conversion too earn the mid Northern School bragging rights for the fixture. “We agreed before this match that come what may we had to win it because it was our only hope and thank God we have made it,” said the joyful Lango College’s captain Denis Omara.

On the other hand Mbale high School’s captain Bashir Atukunda blamed it all on the schools failure to hire a Rugby coach for the team. “I’m happy with what the boys have been able to achieve because we have come this far without a coach. I work as a coach player, thanks to the little experience I have gained from playing with Elgon Wolves Rugby Club,” explained a crestfallen Atukunda. In the other matches of the day, St Mary’s College kisubi walloped Masaba Secondary school 66 – 3 as Makerere College got a narrow 13-10 victory over King’s College Budo. Earlier Budo’s Emmanuel Kiyaga fractured his right arm.