The return of the revived Enterprise Cup was announced last November, with the top 4 sides from Uganda joining at the quarterfinal stage.
According to Uganda Rugby Union (URU) officials, Uganda’s representatives were determined using the Uganda Cup rankings. The Black Pirates won that competition in December, defeating Heathens in the final, while KOBs had a slimmer losing margin in the semifinals, compared to the Buffaloes. The final top 4 rankings: Pirates, Heathens, KOBs and Buffaloes.
At the Kenyan end, KCB Rugby had the biggest winning margin in the Kenya quarterfinals, followed by Kabras, Menengai Oilers (who received a 20-point walkover) and the record winners, Nondescript. The final top 4 rankings: KCB, Kabras, Oilers and Nondies.
Earlier communication to the clubs indicated the format as follows;
- Kenya 3 vs. Uganda 2
- Kenya 1 vs. Uganda 4
- Uganda 3 vs. Kenya 2
- Uganda 1 vs. Kenya 4
Under this arrangement, the top-ranked teams would be rewarded for finishing highest by playing the lower-ranked sides from across the border. However, with the new arrangement, the best from either side play the best, much to the disadvantage of the Ugandans, who are miles behind their Kenyan counterparts.
This ultimately creates a situation where the best-ranked sides from Kenya are far too strong for the Ugandans, leading to a Kenya-only semi-final stage. For context, the Buffaloes in Uganda have never won a 15s title, whether in the league or cup competition. They face a Nondies side with 25 Enterprise Cups.
At the top, Kabras and KCB have dominated the Enterprise Cup, making it to multiple finals. On the other hand, the Pirates boast of 3 league and cup titles respectively in their 30-year existence, while the Heathens, who are the most decorated side in Uganda, and the KOBs, who are right behind them in accolades, complete the top 3.
Heathens and KOBs have been a shell of themselves in the past 2 seasons, which makes competing in the Enterprise Cup an uphill task. However, the Ugandan sides have to start somewhere, even if it takes thrashing in the initial ties.
This is not to demoralise the Ugandans, but to simply point out that if they had a slim chance in the original proposed format, they now stand none at all with the announced fixtures.
Quarterfinals, 21st March
Uganda:
- Black Pirates vs. KCB Rugby
- Heathens vs. Kabras
Kenya:
- Menengai Oilers vs. KOBs
- Nondescripts vs. Buffaloes