Ismail D. Kigongo
9 November 2009
The success story of Ugandan rugby is synonymous with two of the oldest club sides. MTN Heathens and utl Kobs form the basic fabric of a story that is often re-told, mainly from the time when Uganda joined the International Rugby Board (IRB) family 12 years ago.
Several other clubs led by G4S Pirates - the unofficial 'third best' side - have made telling contributions that cannot be discredited. Nonetheless, even with many sides scrambling for a share of the plaudits, Heathens and Kobs have been so dominant.
In fact, both sides have managed a clean sweep of the season which entails winning the 15s league, Uganda Cup, 7s circuit and Hima-Makerere 10s in the same year. It's no mean feat as it demands lots of discipline and supreme fitness levels. But while Heathens have scaled the heights this year and threatening to add to their previous clean sweeps of 2002 and 2004, their 'partners-in-crime' took a turn into mediocrity on Saturday at Kyadondo grounds.
Nowhere in the script for this year's Hima-Makerere 10s was it foresighted that Kobs would fail to skip the pool hurdle. It's been an abysmal season for the Kampala Rugby Football Club grounds-based Kobs and there appears no sign of dusk.
On the first anniversary of the infamous altercation with referee George Collins Mulindwa, Kobs - by far Uganda's most successful club - found it hard to compete with the best in a tough pool B of the Hima-Makerere 10s. Smiles from a routine 51-0 thumping of Makerere University Business Scool (Mubs) were quickly washed away. Kenyan sides Strathmore (10-5) and Mwamba (20-7) beat Kobs to relegate them to an 'unfamiliar' territory - the Bowl competition.
The Bowl is the third tier competition in any two-day rugby tournament and it is embarrassing to see a club of Kobs' stature flexing their muscles way below where they want to be. Kobs have been here before in 2004 and 2005. They watched with envy as Heathens dominated the sports pages but bounced from that slump to go through the 2006 season unbeaten and eventually completed a clean sweep. This time, the odds of a quick resurgence are stuck against coach Herbert Wafula, a former Impis and Rugby Cranes skipper, to reverse this sprawl.
Exceptional
A third place finish in the 15s league - behind winners Heathens and Pirates - has been followed by worrying performances on the 7s circuit which culminated in the early exit from the Hima-Mak 10s 'high table'.
To understand how Kobs have sunk so fast, it's important to review what has happened in Ugandan rugby over the past 12 months. Since the bans dished to Fred Mudoola, Steven Ogwete and Victor Wadia, the club has totally failed to re-invent themselves. The trio has been sorely missed but managed to wither the first signs of the storm at the start of the season with some exceptional performances including victories over Pirates and Heathens. Before things could get worse, Adrian Bukenya, Edmond Tumusiime, Allan Musoke, Tony Luggya, Roger Rukundo, Timothy Mudoola and Kenneth Mutabaruka retired from the Rugby Cranes in June. Kobs had previously dominated the national team jersey but this opened doors to players from other clubs.
"During a team meeting in April, I warned teammates that retiring (from the national team) would weaken our side (Kobs)," one of the retirees who preferred anonymity in order to freely comment on the matter told Monday Scoreline.
"Playing for the national team helps build confidence and other sides have benefited from the exposure while Kobs players stay away. Many of the (Entebbe) Mongers, Pirates and Heathens players no longer fear facing us," he added.
An avalanche of youngsters has been tasked to assume the mantle. The crop of Oscar Kalyango, Lawrence Wakabi, Alan Otim, Brian Asaba, Brian Odong and Ambrose Kamayiire are supposed to stem the rot and launch a new era of invincibility.
Odong and Wakabi are living up the bill but the rest are yet to convince anyone they can fill the void. Wakabi scored a brilliant try in each of the games against Strathmore and Mwamba to cement his class. Too often, he looks like one ripe tomato in a basketful of rotten ones.
"There are no miracles in sport. You must work to achieve anything. This is a re-building phase and the plan is to review the team's performances after 18 months," Wafula, who took over from Geoffrey Mabonga in July, said in defence.
Modern sport doesn't offer anyone time to prove themselves because the gifts of success are enormous while the price of failure is too huge to bear.
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