Warriors end losing streak, Rhinos off foot
The Nile Special Stout Premiership saw no significant changes in log standings at the top with both Hima Heathens and Betway Kobs winning their respective games to keep the gap between first and second at five points.
As the Heathens made light work of Hippos, 8-45, in Jinja, Kobs had their own punishment for Impis in a 60-7 drubbing that sent the latter back to the bottom of the table.
Legends Rugby Club served the best of match day eleven in shape of a mid-table clash between 9 Barells Warriors and Toyota Buffaloes that had both sides interchange leads all the way to the death.
Buffaloes trailed 9-3 at the break with Richard Kinyai’s three penalties placing Warriors at the wheel in a half Buffaloes rarely got into Warriors’ territory.
The next forty minutes were nerve wrecking for both parties as the hosts somehow fell behind on two occasions, 13-12 and 15-20, before replacement prop Gideon Mutesasira delivered a try late on to make it 20 apiece for Kinyai to add the extras for Warriors’ first win in six attempts.
“We did not do well in the first half and it came back to haunt us later in the game,” said Buffaloes’ coach Edgar Lemiriga.
His verdict was based on the slow first half they had before waking up after the break after the introduction of Brian Tabaruka. The development puts Warriors on 21 points in sixth place, a couple of points off Buffaloes in fifth. It also puts their season back on track with winnable fixtures on card in the coming weeks.
In Entebbe, Rhinos lost 18-13 to Palscon Mongers but picked a vital losing bonus point that bought them some time off the bottom of the table on points difference. At -182, the Arnold Kiiza captained side betters Impis’ woeful -288 record.
With both tied at six points, every point now counts in the relegation battle for the remaining seven games. Stanbic Pirates got their revenge against Rams at Kyadondo with a 29-3 victory to tighten the grip on third place weeks after falling 13-15 to the same side at Kings Park.
