Pirates, Black Pearls win 2023 Nile Special Sevens
Pirates coach Marvin Odongo spreads his arms in joy after his team clinched the Nile Special Sevens Series. PHOTO/COURTSEY
What you need to know:
Pirates cracked a resilient Hippos 19-12 to deny the massive Jinja fans a chance to defend the Kyabazinga edition that the latter had won last year.
Stanbic Black Pirates sealed their second Nile Special national sevens title after braving tough opposition to win the Kyabazinga 7s in Jinja on Sunday.
The Pirates needed to reach the semifinal in Bugembe but instead saddled all the way to win the trophy to prove their might.
Their closest Challengers for the crown, Heathens, had promised to put a show to stop or slow the Bweyogerere side but succumbed to the storm, losing 21-5.
Pirates then cracked a resilient Hippos 19-12 to deny the massive Jinja fans a chance to defend the Kyabazinga edition that the latter had won last year.
Earlier on, Buffaloes capitalised on hosts Walukuba Barbarians complacent start to reach their first semifinal.
"We wanted to win a treble, but it was not possible because we lost the Uganda Cup last year ," Marvin Odong, the Pirates coach told Daily Monitor after the win.
Pirates finished the series with 134 points, 20 more than Heathens who finished second as Kobs and last year's champion Hippos finished with 109 and 103, respectively.
"Winning has become addictive to us, and we just want to keep winning. That's what is pushing us as a team and everyone now believes that we're the best and can do it," Odong bragged.
Walukuba Barbarians bossed their jinja rivals Hippos to win the bronze medal.
Pirates' sister club Black Pearls complemented their counterparts by winning the ladies trophy.
Lwarence Sebuliba and Sarah Kirabo won the most valuable players of the season for the respective categories leaving a section of the neutrals surprised how Timothy Kisiga and Emily Lekuru missed out.
