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Advantage Pirates as Sevens series heads to Gulu
Pirates will be the team to beat. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
The series leaders Pirates will miss Alex Aturinda and Mubarak Wandera but their head coach Marvin Odong has learnt the dynamics and remains unfazed.
It’s almost certain that the Nile Special Sevens series will always be interrupted by the national team call-ups due to its time and it’s up to the teams to adjust appropriately to remain balanced.
That is not any different this time, as about twelve players will not feature this weekend when the series heads to Pece Stadium in Gulu for the fourth circuit after they were called to the Cranes team that will be playing in South Africa concurrently.
The series leaders Pirates will miss Alex Aturinda and Mubarak Wandera but their head coach Marvin Odong has learnt the dynamics and remains unfazed.
“We’ve been working hard to build a squad with enough depth to handle national team call-ups, so I believe we have sufficient cover even though we’ll miss them,” Odong said ahead of the fourth circuit this weekend.
“The two weeks have brought good rest because we had a lot of fatigue in the bodies so it is also a relief for us. Our target is to win the first game and maintain the run-up to the last one,” he adds.
While the absence of Aturinda and Wandera may not be a significant blow to the Pirates, their closest rivals, the Heathens, will have to cope without leading try scorers Denis Etwau and Malcolm Okello, along with right-wing Nobert Okeny. Etwau joined recently after a controversial move transfer from Hippos and has been instant hit dotting 15 times, two more than his attack-mate Okello. Hosan Opilleni from Rams leads with 16 tries.
Pirates lead the log with 54 points after emerging winners in Kyadondo and Mbale following a dismal start to the campaign. Heathens trail closely with 51, Rhinos with 45 while Kobs and Buffaloes are tagged on 44.
The leaders are pooled in Group A in the Gulu draws alongside thorny Walukuba, Rams and Arua’s Nile Leopards.
Heathens will lock horns with crawling Hippos, Impis and Black Arrows in B while Kobs and Mongers will test their muscles against Elgon Wolves and Kitgum Lions.
Group D has Buffaloes, Rhinos, Warriors and Gulu City Falcons.
Nile Special Sevens
Date: September 7-8
Venue: Pece Stadium, Gulu
Leaderboard
Pirates – 54
Heathens – 51
Rhinos – 45
Kobs – 44
Buffaloes - 44
