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Pirates break away with Kyadondo 7s crown
Pirates lift the Kyadondo 7s title. PHOTOS/COURTESY
What you need to know:
Malcolm Okello touched down and converted to give Heathens an early 7-0 lead in the final but it wasn't long before Jones Kamiza scored for Pirates. William Nkore converted to level matters.
Both Stanbic Black Pirates and Platinum Credit Heathens have shown that the first circuit performance in the Nile Special 7s Championship was only a mere setback.
Having finished outside the Top Four in the Plascon 7s hosted by Mongers in Entebbe, the two sides have responded by making the finals in two consecutive rounds.
And on both occasions, the Sea Robbers have reigned supreme to pick maximum points and are now comfortably in control after three of the seven circuits.
The latest clash between the two had it all and went all the way to sudden death after a 12-12 stalemate at the end of regulation time.
Malcolm Okello touched down and converted to give Heathens an early 7-0 lead in the final but it wasn't long before Jones Kamiza scored for Pirates. William Nkore converted to level matters.
Michael Wokorach then set up Denis Etwau, who showed the chasing Isaac Massa a pair of heels before touching down and hand the Yellow Machine a 12-7 advantage. Okello was unsuccessful with the conversion and Pirates later pounced.
MVPs Peace Lekuru (L) and Ian Munyani.
Even when Pirates were momentarily reduced to six following Isaac Massa’s yellow card for an intentional knock-on, Heathens failed to capitalize and eventually paid the price.
Haruna Muhamad fed Desire Ayera to go over for the leveller at the death and Kamiza could have won it with the resultant conversion. His miss, however, meant that the two sides had to be separated from sudden death.
And it was Muhammad who collected from Stephen Alul to dot down in the corner for the 17-12 win.
The Pirates had defeated Toyota Buffaloes 24-0 in a one-sided semifinal to make the final. Before that, Marvin Odongo’s charges beat Mongers 20-12 in the quarters.
The table leaders had sailed through Pool A unbeaten. In the women’s category, Avengers won their second circuit in a row by defeating Black Pearls 21-12.
KCB Kobs’ Ian Munyani and Avengers’ Peace Lekuru were named MVPs in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively.
The series will now take a two-week break and return on September 7 for the Gulu 7s.
Nile Special 7s
Kyadondo 7s results
Men’s Final: Pirates 17-12 Heathens
Women’s Final: Black Pearls 12-21 Avengers
MVPs
Men: Ian Munyani
Women: Peace Lekuru
