Betway, Kobs hungrier after landing title
Holy Grail. Betway’s Agaba (L) joins Kobs’ victory parade. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
Club sponsors Betway rewards Kobs players and management team with a Shs10m token but the 13-time league winners are bound to pick up more cash when the league sponsors Nile Breweries hold their awards ceremony.
Betway Kobs sealed their 13th league title in spectacular fashion after defeating Pirates 15-5 in the final game of the Nile Special Stout Rugby Premiership last Saturday.
The two sides, together with Heathens all had a chance of clinching the title and Kobs came out on top, winning the title unbeaten and only having conceded a single try.
Pictures of captain Brian Asaba in tears of joy and Betway Uganda Country Manager Adellah Agaba Nyaruhuma jumping up and down with a dummy check have dominated social media the whole week.
It was that big for coach Davis Kyewalabye’s charges having been starved of league glory since 2016.
A first league title for the club in five and a first for most of the players on the roster.
Readier than most
Kobs vice chairman Isaac Lutwama believes preparations before the start of the season played the biggest part in Kobs’ success. While most of the teams were struggling to get resources for the season, Kobs were shopping for the best talent on the market to strengthen the team.
“Betway played a key role as their partnership has allowed us to gain from their sports management team in SA that helped us plan for our squad and best ways to prepare the players to compete & win,” Lutwama says.
“They helped us facilitate the players, technical team of coaches and medics. Their timely intervention during lockdown also helped bolster the squad as many could not work and had limited resources,” he added.
No sponsor
Kobs’ triumph came at a time eternal rivals Heathens had lost their sponsorship and most of the players on the market found the Blue Army more attractive. Arthur Mpande, Saul Kivumbi, Brian Ochan, Byron Oketayot, James Odong and Mike Otto are some of the new faces that Kobs recruited at the start of the season.
Winning a league title is no mean feat but defending it is even a tougher task but Kobs have their eyes on defending this one.
Lovely partnership
Fortunately for them, Betway look like they are still around and resources might not be a problem.
“As Betway, we love the partnership we have with Kobs and for all these years, we have proven our loyalty,” Agaba told this paper.
“League success was one that we all waited for patiently and never gave up at any one point.
“We do hope for greater things ahead holding all factors constant,” she added.
As it stands, Kobs have all Ugandan titles. The Sevens Championship and the Uganda Cup titles are all at Legends and the plan is to defend all of them.
