With four matches remaining in the national league regular season, Rwanda Energy Group (REG) Volleyball Club find themselves walking a tightrope in the race for a top-four finish--the minimum required to secure a place in the playoffs.
REG have finished inside the top four in each of the past three seasons, but inconsistent performances this campaign have left the club on the brink of missing out.
Since the league tipped off, the side coached by Benon Mugisha has suffered four defeats, dropping them to fifth place on the standings with 18 points.
Gisagara VC, APR VC, Kepler VC, and Police VC currently occupy the top four positions, leaving REG chasing from behind.
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Big investment, slow returns
The electricians' struggles are particularly striking given their heavy investment in recruitment ahead of the season.
The departures of Gideon Angiro, Sylvestre Ndayisaba, and Ronald Muvara appear to have had a significant impact, with new signings yet to fully fill the void.
REG brought in experienced setter Crispin Ntanteteri, Merci Gisubizo, and Kenyan outside hitter Nicholas Matui, who joined after being named Most Valuable Player of the 2024/25 Kenyan league season, among others.
Despite the quality additions, results have been slow to follow, raising questions about what has gone wrong.
"Joining REG was another chance for me to rebuild my reputation," Ntanteteri told Weekend Sport. "The squad has familiar faces but also many new ones. The league is very competitive, which makes things tougher, but it's not over yet."
The setter stressed that responsibility must be shared across the squad and that qualification remains within reach.
"Blame can fall on anyone, but as long as the final whistle hasn't blown, nothing is impossible," he added.
Chemistry concerns and new challengers
REG's difficulties have been partly attributed to late squad chemistry and the arrival of a new technical setup, challenges that have been compounded by the emergence of surprise contenders such as Kepler VC.
League debutants, Kepler have exceeded expectations by breaking into the top four and disrupting the traditional order.
Among REG's current starting six are several new faces, including setter Ntanteteri, outside hitter Matui, and middle blockers Sam Engwau and Fred Twagirayezu.
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"So far, we are recovering and trying to regain momentum. We still believe we will qualify for the playoffs," Ntanteteri said.
The remaining battle
REG's fate will be decided in their final four fixtures.
They begin with what appears a manageable encounter against Rwanda Polytechnic Ngoma on Friday, February 6, followed by a clash with Kigali Volleyball Club (KVC) on February 20.
The toughest challenge comes on February 13 against Gisagara VC, a side REG have failed to beat this season. Their most recent victory over the Villagers dates back to February 17, 2025, when REG won 3-1.
The electricians' final--and arguably most decisive--fixture will be against APR VC, a match that could ultimately determine their playoff fate.
As the season reaches its decisive phase, REG must rediscover consistency quickly if they are to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.
