Rugby League: Pirate’s front three revive title hopes

Stanbic Black Pirates’ head coach Marvin Odongo believes that if his side fails to beat the Plascon Mongers at King’s Park, Bweyogerere this Saturday, April 29, they would have wasted time beating the Heathens last weekend.

The Pirates completed a first league double on Heathens since the 2017/18 season, following their 8-6 scoreline at Kyadondo on Saturday, April 22. With it, came a revival of Pirates’ league title ambitions, as they moved into second on the log with 65 points, behind Kobs rugby club on 66.

Heathens are 63, after they added a losing bonus point to their tally. With three more rounds of action to play, Pirates and Kobs will clash on the final day of the season, May 13, leaving the destiny of the championship in both teams’ hands.

However, while it is clear as day that Pirates only need to win their remaining games, to secure a second league title in 26 years of existence, their front three of Alema Ruhweza (loose head prop), Nathan Bwambale (hooker), and Ivan Kabagambe (tight head prop) cannot be thanked enough for the commendable job they did at Kyadondo.

In rugby, great teams have formidable packs; the eight players that contest the scrummages. This is where the nitty-gritty of pushing for territory is done, and therefore, great strength is needed, to subdue opponents. Heathens have always been the experts in this kind of game approach.

And with the likes of Santos Senteza, Syrus Wathum, the recently retired Alex Mubiru, Victor Wangobo, Ronald Kanyanya and Peter Bisaso, the have been quite dominant because of their front three.

They provided the fulcrum for the pack especially because one or the other could easily start and not much difference in application would be felt. In fact, the options always ensured that there was freshness to Heathens. Equally so, Kobs’ pack this season, is the reason they have been hard to stop.

The likes of Collins Kimbowa, Saul Kivumbi, and Faraj Odugo, add the new names in Frank Kakula, and Jude Jjuuko, and there is real depth.

Yet, because of the work done by the front three in rugby, it is rare for them to play a whole 80 minutes. Their bodies take a lot of battering during the scrums, which is why they are usually replaced in the second half. However, Pirates’ Odongo pulled a rare one, and to great effect, when he kept Ruhweza, Bwambale and Kabagambe on the field throughout.

It was a pointer to how important they were to the cause, as Pirates adapted to a style that is not normally associated with them.

“I know many people have not us to be a passing side. But under the circumstances, with the heavy ground, following the rains, we needed to adjust our game, and use our pack,” Odongo said.

Surprisingly, the only try in the game, made by Pirates’ Sydney Gongodyo, a flanker or a number eight, resulted from some tenacious pushing, led by the front three. It was unusual to see Heathens pegged back in that manner, yet they have customarily been the masters of such a game.

Considering the time it happened, with the tired legs factored in, it was such a marker from Pirates. “There is nothing the body cannot do once the mind decided on it. Our coach has been training us (front three) how to play a whole 100 minutes. So we were ready for it,” Bwambale said.

Pirates’ vice-captain added that as much as they have received so much credit for their effort, the whole pack has improved a lot.