Heathens clinched the Kyabazinga 7s title with a dramatic 12-7 win over Walukuba in a sudden-death final at Bugembe Stadium, marking their second consecutive victory in the National Rugby 7s series.
The final match proved to be a thrilling encounter. Walukuba’s Reuben Kagwiasagy broke the deadlock with a well-executed try, followed by Gift Wokorach’s conversion, putting Walukuba ahead 7-0 at halftime.
However, Heathens’ Nobert Okeny leveled the scores in the dying moments of the second half.
Okeny’s pass to Aaron Ofworwoth led to a successful conversion, bringing the game to a 7-7 tie and pushing it into extra time.
In the first minute of extra time, Okeny scored again, sealing a 12-7 victory for the Heathens and securing their back-to-back Kyabazinga 7s title.
This final marked the first time Heathens and Walukuba faced each other in the series’ championship game.
It’s back to back circuit wins for Heathens who beat Pirates in Gulu 7s last weekend.
On Sunday, they beat Rhinos (22-05) and Buffaloes (24-00) in quarter and semifinals respectively.
In the women’s final, the Avengers proved dominant with a resounding 35-0 victory over the Thunderbirds.
Maimuna Nasozi spearheaded the attack, scoring two tries and converting another, while Peace Lekuru and Christine Akello also contributed to the scoreline.
The Avengers’ win was highlighted by a well-rounded team performance, making it their third win of the season.
This was the first meeting between Avengers and Thunderbirds in a final this season.
Sarah Nakafeero of the Thunderbirds was named MVP in the women’s category, while Denis Etwau of Heathens received the men’s MVP award.
This Kyabazinga 7s circuit was notable for introducing awards for the top three teams. In the men’s division, Heathens took first place, Walukuba finished second, and Hippos secured third.
For the women, Avengers were first, Thunderbirds second, and Black Pearls third.
The National Rugby 7s series will resume after a two-week break with the Mbarara 7s scheduled for 28-29 September 2024.
https://sportsnation.co.ug/2024/09/15/heathens-win-kyabazinga-7s/
