Boks’ bumpy ride to the table of men

Where Do I Go? Boks hooker Felix Kyewalabye (R) plots to beat his man against Stallions in the Central League. PHOTO | JOHN BATANUDDE

What you need to know:

  • Boks shall have to come up with their own logo and drop Kobs’,  they will need an independent executive committee, bank account and constitution among other attributes that would grant them a seat on the table of men.

Boks have over the years been known as Kobs’ understudy side, the narrative is about to die as they prepare for life as a Nile Special Rugby Premiership side.

Saturday’s 15-13 win over Walukuba Barbarians in the championship promotion final at Makerere earned them a chance to join Kobs in the league, meaning they will have to become an independent entity. The Uganda Rugby Union (URU) granted them 60 days after qualification to prove they fit the bill or else their promotion is nullified according to a statement released last month. 

Boks shall have to come up with their own logo and drop Kobs’,  they will need an independent executive committee, bank account and constitution among other attributes that would grant them a seat on the table of men.

“We are working on everything URU has asked for and hopefully all will be in place to compete in the premiership. The boys have worked hard to get here and deserve to experience playing against the best sides in the country,” Boks coach Ambrose Kakuru told Daily Monitor.

URU caused an uproar when they halted Boks’ playoff run, considering them a feeder side and fronting Kyambogo who had finished second in the central league for a run to the top flight. 

Boks protested and vowed to go independent, forcing the Union to reverse the decision overnight. Kyambogo felt undone and are dragging the union to the courts of law on June 7. “ The tournament director made a decision which was overturned before Boks could meet the requirements. How was it overturned and who was responsible?” wonders Kyambogo chairman  Ivan Ssemuwemba who believes the tournament director’s decision should be final.

But who is to blame? None but the Union for integrating feeder sides into a promotional league. 

The Boks – Kyambogo dilemma  was bound to happen soon or later, unfortunately the union never saw it coming. It is up to the union to separate feeder sides from the independent ones or else another slice of this drama will ensue in future once again.