Kigezi Silverbacks top Western Rugby 7s
The Kabale-based side did not only win the championship but also came out top of the final standings after two legs with a maximum of 41 points, to secure a slot in this year’s edition of the national rugby 7s to be hosted in Mbarara.
Kigezi Silverbacks after the championship. PHOTO: Aloysius Byamukama
NewVision Reporter
@NewVision
Kigezi Silverbacks rugby club came out victorious in the western region rugby 7s national qualifiers second outing in Fortportal over the weekend.
The Kabale-based side did not only win the championship but also came out top of the final standings after two legs with a maximum of 41 points, to secure a slot in this year’s edition of the national rugby 7s to be hosted in Mbarara.
En route to the podium, the Silverbacks first humbled national event hosts MUSTangs 22-0 before settling for a 7-7 draw with circuit hosts Tooro Lions in the group stages and in the semis, they dispatched Buddu Bears 21-7 and then beat Fort Portal side Tyrants 17-12 in the finale to win it.
Silverbacks’ Trevor Watsombe got 35 points including 5 tries and 5 conversions in the entire championship to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) accolade with Emmanuel Atuhaire and Mark Kasozi contributing 12 and 10 points respectively.
The Silverbacks will now be joined in the national 7s by Mbarara Titans and Buddu Bears who finished 2nd and 3rd on 35 and 34 points respectively while MUSTangs who finished in 6th position, take the 4th and last slot as hosts.
The women’s category whose first Kisoro qualifier results were nullified by the regional disputes committee, saw Buddu Bears take the day and book the only slot in the national meeting, after amassing 22 points, narrowly beating Kigezi Silverbacks (19) and Kisoro Jaguars (17) who finished 2nd and 3rd in that order with hosts Mbarara Lionesses who had already booked their slot as hosts, finishing in 4th position on 15 points as the Kiruhura Cows failed out having finished 2nd last on 10 points.
The national rugby 7s that will be hosted by MUSTangs will be a two-day championship that will run on September 28 and 29 in Mbarara City.
Western rugby 7s national qualifiers selected results
Semi-final
Kigezi Silverbacks 21 - 07 Buddu Bears
Final
Tyrants 12 - 17 Kigezi Silverbacks
Fort Portal 7s standings
Kigezi Silverbacks - 22 pts
Tyrants - 19 pts
Buddu Bears - 17 pts
Tooro Lions - 15 pts
Mbarara Titans - 13 pts
Muhabura Maulers - 12 pts
Mustangs - 10 pts
Tooro Leonadis - 10 pts
KIU Crows - 0 pts
Overall Western 7s men after two rounds of qualifiers
Kigezi Silverbacks - 41 pts
Mbarara Titans - 35 pts
Buddu Bears - 34 pts
Tyrants - 31 pts
Tooro Lions - 28 pts
Mustangs - 20 pts
Tooro Leonadis - 20 pts
Muhabura Maulers - 20 pts
KIU Crows - 15 pts
Fort Portal 7s women Circuit Winners standings
Buddu Cuppaz - 22 pts
Kigezi Silverbacks - 19 pts
Kisoro Jaguars - 17 pts
Mbarara Lionesses - 15 pts
Fort Portal Pumas - 13 pts
Bundibugyo Wasps - 12 pts
Kiruhura Cows - 10 pts
Tooro Leylas – 10