Dimension Data Rwenzori became the first Ugandan side to make it to a Super series final after they saw off the SDV Transami Cheetahs 25-0 at the Kampala Rugby Club. In Nairobi the UAP Rhinos made it six finals in a row when they edged out the Lions 20-19 in a close match at the RFUEA grounds.

In Kampala,Dimension Data Rwenzori confidently saw off the SDV Transami Cheetahs 25-0 to book a final spot for the first time,Rwenzori took the lead through a Marvin Odongo unconverted try, the Ugandan side taking this lead into the half time break. Anthony Kinene extended Rwenzori’s lead to 8-0 from a penalty, after this the Cheetahs tried to get back into it with the Rwenzori doing well to hold them out. The Rwenzori would further stretch that lead via an Edmund Tumusiime drop goal to make it 11-0, the Cheetahs would again try to get back in the game again falling short. The Rwenzori would seal this game through an Edmund Tumusiime try and a Kinene conversion to make it 18-0, they went further ahead via a converted try by Kamanyire confirmed by the TMO. Making the final score 25-0.

In Nairobi the epic encounter between the Lions and UAP Rhinos lived up to expectation at the RFUEA, despite the light showers at the beginning of the game. It was the Lions who showed more intent in the early exchanges, this dominance winning the Lions a penalty which Fabian Olando missed from. The Lions continued dominating though it was the Rhinos whon scored first after putting together a counter attack, Brian Nyikuli finishing off the move. The resulting conversion missed by Agero, the Lions who had dominated to this point continued to probe the Rhinos line but just falling short. Their persistence finally paid off, Edwin Machanje grounding the ball to level the scores 5 all.The Lions would again pick up from where they left from with several phases at the forwards, the Rhinos again resolute in defence. The Rhinos would win a penalty inside the Lions’ half opting to go for touch,and finding it through Eden Agero. They would win the resulting line out to set up a maul which they succesfully drove to the line owing to their weight advantage in the forwards. The referee would however call the first of several TMO decions to confirm the try, with the TMO seeing no reason not to award the try, the Rhinos retook the lead 10-5. With this score the Rhinos started turning the tables on the Lions, taking the game to them, again winning a penalty off one of their ventures into Lions’ territory and kicking for touch.They would again win the resulting penalty and maul off it to ground the ball. The referee again calling for the TMO to confirm the try, which he duely did to take the scores to 15-5 to the Rhinos. With the half winding down, the Lions would win 3 consecutive penalties, Olando hitting the upright from one and scoring from the two to make the half time scores 11-15 to the Rhinos.

The second half started in similar fashion to the first, with the Lions dominating possesion and territory, they would win two early penalties from which Fabian Olando managed to miss from both attempts. The Lions would however win another penalty this time Olando making it third time lucky to make it a one point game at 14-15 to the Rhinos. The Rhinos charge would receive a body blow when Fly Half Eden Agero was sent to the sin bin for obstructing play from a qiuck line out. The Lions took full advantage of their numerical advantage to take the lead for the first time in the match through Darwin Mukidza try, to take the scores to 19-15.

The Lions would continue to dominating this period of exchanges with the Rhinos again defending well. With Agero back on the field of play the Rhinos would start to turn things around, again winning a penalty and going for touch. It was a try from the same script as the last two, with the TMO awarding the try to give the Rhinos a one point lead at 20-19. With less than a minute to go the Lions were camped at the Rhinos half looking for the score that will win them the game.

The hooter would sound with the Lions still in possession of the ball just short of the Rhinos 22 meter line, the Rhinos defending with all they had. The Lions patient in attack, setting up play after play from the forwards looking for an opening, this opening came when the Rhinos committed an infringement at the ruck. Lavin Asego going for the drop goal knowing that his side had an advantage, the veteran fly half taking it wide. The ref would bring back play to the point of the penalty, after a short discussion the Lions opted to go for the posts.

It was all on Olando’s shoulders now, the top points scorer this far took his time with the kick just left of the posts between the 22 and 44 meter line. With the Lions’ fans holding their breath, the kick was taken and drifted just wide of the near post. Being the final play of the game the centre referee blew for full time, taking the UAP Rhinos to their fifth consecutive final.

The man of the match from this game was awarded to Edwin Machanje who lead the Lions charge.

With those results, the finalists for the 10th edition of the Bamburi super series are the Dimension Data Rwenzori and the UAP Rhinos. This match will be a replay of the Pool B day two fixture played in Kampala where thew Rwenzori emerged 17-15 winners on the day. The third place play off will also be a replay, this time a Pool A replay between the Lions and the SDV Transami Cheetahs, the Lions were 24-15 winners in that one.

Collated Results:

Dimension Data Rwenzori 25-0 SDV Transami Cheetahs

Lions 19-20 UAP Rhinos

Third Place Play Off:

Lions vs SDV Transami Cheetahs

Final:

UAP Rhinos vs Dimension Data Rwenzori

The final pool matches of the 10th Bamburi super series were played out in Nairobi, Nakuru and Kampala, with two semi final spots up for grabs.

In Pool A, the Nguvu Sharks took on the Coastal Bulls in the early kick off at Nairobi’s Jamuhuri park. Both sides were without a win this far and were looking to end this year’s tournament on a high. It was the Bulls who took the early lead with the first try of the game, after getting the better of the Sharks forwards in their first attack, Rogers Lai succesfully converting to make it 7-0 to the Bulls. The Sharks would respond immediately via a Hastings Nyariki try and Andola’s conversion to bring the scores to 7 all. The Bulls who were chasing their first victory in their Super series history would retake the lead through an Alex Ndong try and a conversion off Lai’s boot to make it 14-7. Lai would further stretch his team’s advantage to 17-7 from a penalty. The Nguvu Sharks who had dominated much of the game this far, found themselves trailing by 10 points with 10 minutes to the half time whistle. They stepped it up a notch and scored through Edwin Salamba after a great counter attack run from Daniel Mubea, Andola converting to narrow the gap to 3 points at 14-17. With the last play of the Half, the Sharks won a penalty and opted to take a quick restart, Cyprian Kuto catching the Bulls defence on the back foot to make the try that gave the Sharks the lead for the first time in this match. The resulting conversion from Andola hit the upright to take the scores to 19-17 at the break.

The second half saw the Sharks turning their dominance into points as they scored 4 tries un answered tries to take the final score to 43-17. The Nguvu Sharks thus finish 3rd in Pool A, with the Coastal Bulls having to wait another year to register their first victory. The man of the match trophy from this one awarded to Cyprian Kuto of the Nguvu Sharks.

At the Nakuru Athletic Club, defending champions UAP Rhinos survived an early scare against the Mumias Sugar Buffaloes to book a semi final berth in what was an exciting Pool B encounter. The Rhinos had taken the early lead via an Eden Agero penalty and a converted Dennis Muhanji try to bring the scores to 10-0 in their favour, before the Buffaloes turned the tables on them. Two George Oduor penalties and two quick tries by Cyrus Kuya and Bram Shikanda, saw the Buffaloes taking the lead with the scores at 18-10, George Oduor converting one of those tries. The Rhinos would reduce the deficit to three points with Wilson Kopondo making his first try of the game to take the game to the break at 18-15 to the Buffaloes.

Kopondo would get his second of the game in the second half as the Rhinos retook the lead 20-18, Victor Sudi earning his side the bonus point with the fourth try for the Rhinos to make the final score 25-18 to the UAP Rhinos. The Buffaloes who had shown great promise this year are yet to win a match in their short history.

At the Kyadondo Rugby Club in Kampala the other Pool B match between the Dimension Data Rwenzori and the KCB Victoria was a tight affair though the wet conditions had a heavy impact on the game. The last time these two met in last year’s edition the Rwenzori were narrow 11-8 victors, and it was this result that they were looking to repeat. It was a low scoring first half was with both sides guilty of missing clear cut opportunities, with little separating the two. The scores stood at 3 all at the half time break.

The game opened up in the second half with both sides taking their chances but it was the Rwenzori who were the better of the two sides taking the lead at 6-3 before seeing off the game 19-10 at the final whistle. With this win the Dimension Data Rwenzori finish top in Pool B, booking a semi final spot for the second year in a row, the KCB Victoria finish third.

The second Pool A match at the Jamuhuri park was the epic battle between last year’s finalists the SDV Transami Cheetahs and 2008 winners the Lions. Both sides had already done enough to book semi finals spots and were playing to determine who would qualify top of the pool.

It was the Lions who looked the hungrier of the two sides when the game kicked off, immediately dominating the early exchanges of the match. This dominance would pay instant dividend for the Lions winning a penalty through which Fabian Olando kicked in his first points to give the Lions a 3-0 lead. The Cheetahs would get back into the game winning a penalty of their own, Vincent Mose leveling the scores at 3 all. It was a see saw affair from this point as the Cheetahs looked to be on the ascendancy, the Lions doing well to contain the pressure. It was however the Lions who would make the next score, a try by their lethal winger Collins Injera after the Lions had put together a decent counter attack move, Olando making no mistake from the conversion to make it 10-3. The Cheetahs would again level the scores when Vincent Mose was released at the wing to score the try at the corner and successfully convert to bring the scores to 10 all. The Lions forwards were having the upper hand in the game so far, led by captain Dennis Mwanja. This pressure at the forwards forced an infringement at a set piece the Lions opting to go for posts with Olando making it 3 from 3 to give his side a 13-10 lead. Minutes later it was the Lions forwards again causing all the havoc with Dennis Mwanja grounding the ball but the TMO failing to award the try. With the half winding down the Lions had one more scoring opportunity, winning a penalty 40 or so meters out, Olando again making the points for his team to take the game to the half time break at 16-10 to the Lions.

The second half kicked off in similar fashion to the first, with the Lions dominating the play and scoring early via a Fabian Olando penalty to take the scores to 19-10. The Lions failed to stretch their lead further, after a great break by Collins Injera whose pass to Fabian Olando was adjudged to travel forward. The Cheetahs would also fail in an attempt to narrow the gap from a Vincent Mose penalty, scores remaining 19-10 to the Lions. The Lions forwards were at it again, putting together several phases ending up again with Dennis Mwanja grounding the ball, the ref again calling for a TMO who saw no reason not to award the try this time, taking the scores to 24-10 to the Lions after Olando missed his first kick of the day. The Cheetahs looked to quickly get back in the game with the time also winding down as fast. It was the Lions who would fail to extend their lead from an Olando penalty. The Cheetahs threw everything in attack after this, looking to get back in it. This pressure paid off for the Cheetahs with Mose scoring his second of the day at the corner but this time failing to convert to take the scores at the full time whistle to SDV Transami Cheetahs 15-24 Lions. The Man of the match from this one, awarded to Edwin Machanje of the Lions.

Collated Match Day 3 Results:

Pool A

Nguvu Sharks 43-17 Coastal Bulls

SDV Transami Cheetahs 15-24 Lions

POOL B

UAP Rhinos 25-18 Mumias Sugar Buffaloes

Dimension Data Rwenzori 19-10 KCB Victoria.

With those results the semi final pairings are:

Lions vs UAP Rhinos

Dimension Data Rwenzori vs SDV Transami Cheetahs.