Africa-Press – Uganda. When the dust, or mud, settles at Legends Rugby Grounds on Saturday, only one side will remain standing between a heartbreak and the Nile Special Rugby Premiership final.
After a thrilling 25-22 comeback win in Jinja, KCB Kobs carry a slender three-point advantage into the second leg of their semifinal clash against Hippos. But if recent history has shown anything, it’s that no lead is safe when these two meet.
For the second time this season, Hippos watched a commanding lead dissolve under the weight of late Kobs pressure and for the second time, a last-gasp kick proved their main undoing.
Hippos dominated early last week, riding on the boot of Yassin Waiswa and a rampaging Bruno Kisule try to build a commanding 14-3 halftime lead. But the ever-resilient Kobs clawed back with second-half brilliance from former Hippos winger Andrew Odhiambo capped by a last-gasp try from Mark Osuna and a nerveless conversion from Josiah Ssempeke.
“It was a big boost to come back home with a win but we’re not taking anything for granted,” Kobs head coach Timothy Mudoola told Daily Monitor. “We’ve injured a Hippo and now it’s coming back angry. We need to be smarter especially in the green zone where we were too eager and rushed plays,” he cautioned.
The return of key players including playmaker Joseph Aredo is a timely boost for Kobs. Though Ssempeke covered the gap perfectly well, Aredo’s track record in the clutch including a game-winning drop goal in the regular season meeting between the two sides and a kick in their quarterfinal against Buffaloes makes him a central figure to watch.
Hippos, meanwhile, arrive in Kampala stung by another late collapse but far from beaten. And with their home unbeaten run snapped and the margin of error gone to the same opponent, they must summon something special at Legends, a ground where they’ve stunned Kobs before. Hippos triggered the change of guard at Kobs early in the season when they beat and finished above the Legends side in the preseason Masters Cup.
“We lacked belief and concentration in the last minute,” Hippos coach Edmond Quaresma reflected on the first leg loss but also has a plan for their opponent.
“We’ve worked on high balls, our handling and how we manage the closing stages. Now it’s up to the players to push it through on the pitch.”
Quaresma was under fire in the first leg for his massive late substitutions but will be boosted by the return of team captain Aziz Bagalana whose services and leadership skills off the ball were dearly missed.
Waiswa, the league’s second top scorer, will go boot-for-boot against Kobs’ Ssempeke and Aredo, while both packs will be tested for discipline and endurance in the breakdowns and scrums.
Quaresma hinted at an adjusted kicking game to test Kobs’ back three, who were untested under pressure in the first leg.
NILE SPECIAL RUGBY PREMIERSHIP
Semifinal second leg
Saturday at 4pm
KCB Kobs vs. Jinja Hippos, Legends
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
