Pirates, Hippos in a final that defies tradition

The noise of partying from the semifinals has settled and now the spotlight turns to Kings Park Arena in Bweyogerere where Stanbic Black Pirates and Jinja Hippos will battle for the 2025 Nile Special Rugby Premiership title.

It’s more than just a final. It’s a rebellion against tradition and a break from the duopoly that, for decades, kept this story predictable. For the first time in what feels like a lifetime, the final is missing its usual suspects Kobs and Heathens. 

Instead, we are gifted something rarer: a clash between hunger and hope between a rising tide from Jinja and the combative Sea Robbers of Bweyogerere. This is the final no one predicted but to be fair everyone needed.

Breaking the duopoly 

Without a doubt, it’s a showdown that should excite both sets of fans and the neutrals alike. Kobs and Heathens had long formed a stronghold over Ugandan rugby as they relegated other contenders to spectators in the title race. 

Since the league’s official inception in 1991, Heathens have claimed 18 titles while Kobs have 12. 

Only Makerere Impis briefly disrupted that rhythm when they won it in 1996. Ironically, that is the same year a group of their graduating players branched off to form Pirates.

The Sea Robbers fought hard to crack the duopoly, finally lifting their maiden title in 2018, 22 years after their formation. 

They added another in 2023 but that now feels like the beginning of a changing tide. So when Jinja Hippos upset the status quo to book their place in this year's final, the excitement from neutrals was only natural.

The numbers

Pirates arrive at the final almost unscathed. Their only dark sport in a near-perfect campaign was a Josiah Ssempeke-inspired last-minute drop goal that handed Kobs a narrow 30-28 victory at Legends in Week Six. 

They topped the regular season standings with 49 points, five ahead of Kobs and scored a staggering 496 points, a century more than their nearest challengers.

They are also the only team to have scored three or more tries in every game except their first-leg semifinal against Heathens at Kyadondo. 

Even when the Walukuba Barbarians withdrew midway through their second-leg quarterfinal, the Sea Robbers had already crossed the whitewash four times.

Stats compiled by Isa Metrics reinforce why these two clubs deserve their place in the final. Pirates spent 975 minutes in the lead this season at an average of 65 minutes per match while Hippos followed with 822 minutes.

Pirates also handed the heaviest defeats to eight of the 11 teams and boast the league's shiniest boots. 

William Nkore tops the scoring chart with 173 points. Their 38-10 rout of Hippos in Bweyogerere (Week Eight) remains the latter’s biggest loss of the season. Only Heathens’ Joseph Oyet has more tries than Timothy Kisiga and Jeremiah Okello, who each have nine.

But finals are not won on paper, they're written in the clash of bloodied jerseys. And the Hippos have not made this journey by chance.

“It’s been a long time coming with a lot of work put into it,” says Hippos coach Edmond Quaresma, himself a title-winner with Heathens in his playing days. “It’s the belief that has brought us this far, and if there’s anyone still doubting us, we meet at the final,” he adds.

The Jinja side owns the league’s third-best defence that has conceded just 35 tries all season. In their semifinal, they put four past Kobs, the team with the meanest defense direct from their scrums.

Their heartbeat lies in fly-half Yassin Waiswa, a versatile playmaker oscillating between No. 10 and No. 15. He’s crossed the try line six times, the same as his backrower partner Meddy Bagalana. 

Waiswa ended the regular season with 113 points and has been even more clinical in the playoffs, scoring 51 points including 29 in the semifinal. His sharp boot also delivered two clutch drop goals that ultimately silenced Kobs, the only other side to have beaten Hippos this season. 

While Pirates boast of a good number of champions in their ranks, Hippos only have Isaac Rujumba and their coach Edmond Quaresma with a star on their sleeves. 

Rujumba was instrumental when Pirates won their maiden title seven years ago and his experience could come in handy. Quaresma won the league with Heathens during his playing days. 

For Pirates flyhalf Ivan Magomu, the mission remains unfinished but is cautious.

“Our target was to reach the final but we’re now only halfway there because we want to win,” he said. 

he cautioned: “No team goes to the final by mistake, so we have to give it to Hippos. They’ve worked hard, so the match won’t be easy, but we just have to be prepared for them.”

NILE SPECIAL RUGBY PREMIERSHIP 

Final - Saturday 

Pirates vs. Hippos

Pirates’ profile

Name: Black Pirates RFC

Founded - 1995

Homeground – Kings Park Arena, Bweyogerere

Sponsors – Stanbic Bank

Head coach – Marvin Odong

Captain – Frank Kidega

Titles - 2

Seasons in the league – 29

Hippos’ profile

Name: Jinja Hippos RFC

Founded - 2013

Homeground – Dam Waters, Jinja

Sponsors –

Head coach – Edmond Quaresma

Captain – Fahad Maido

Titles - None

Seasons in the league – 8

Previous league winners

1991: Heathens

1992: Heathens

1993: Heathens

1994: Not held

1995: Kobs

1996: Impis

1997: Kobs

1998: Kobs

1999: Kobs

2000: Kobs

2001: Kobs

2002: Heathens

2003: Kobs

2004: Heathens

2005: Heathens

2006: Kobs

2007: Kobs

2008: Kobs

2009: Heathens

2010: Heathens

2011: Heathens

2012: Heathens

2013: Heathens

2014: Kobs

2015: Heathens

2016: Kobs

2017: Heathens

2018: Pirates

2019: Heathens

2020: Heathens

2021: Kobs

2022: Heathens

2023: Pirates

2024: Heathens