Saturday, April 15
Walukuba Vs Impis ( 3pm-Walukuba)
Heathens Vs Buffaloes (4pm-Kyadondo)
Hippos Vs Mongers (4pm- Damwaters)
Kobs Vs Rams (4pm- Legends)
Pirates Vs Rhinos (4pm- Kings Park)
Uganda Rugby Union has on Friday confirmed that all Match-day 14 Rugby Premier League games willl be played as scheduled.
This, comes after initial requests by some teams to have their games postponed for a later date.
In an email addressed to the chairperson of Impis Rugby Club, Walukuba RC had requested for postponement of their upcoming match set to be held at Abel Dhaira Memorial Stadium.
The reason cited by Walukuba for the request was lack of financial requirements to facilitate the venue for hosting the game and they had notified the union about their stance.
This news raised eyebrows within the rugby community, as such a request is rare in the sport and so questions were asked by the rugby fraternity about the 9.8 Billion sponsorship funding offered by Nile Special to the sport.
Rugby being a sport that requires a considerable amount of resources to function, including the cost of maintaining and preparing venues for matches, the situation facing Walukuba highlights the challenges that many teams face when it comes to funding.
A request for postponement had not only been sent by Walukuba.
KOBs and Rams RFC had as well notified the URU of their inability to have their fixture played.
While KOBs said they couldn’t field a team to feature in the game, Rams just like Walukuba, claimed they had no funds to facilitate the game.
Ugandan rugby is a sport that relies heavily on sponsorships and fundraising efforts to keep the teams running. Without sufficient funding, teams can struggle to cover the cost of equipment, travel, and venue rental fees for those without personal venues.
Walukuba and Rams’ requests for the postponement of their matches due to a lack of finances was and is a reminder of the challenges that rugby teams in the country are facing when it comes to funding.
While this situation is undoubtedly challenging, URU has got to task itself to realise steps that can be taken to address the issue and ensure that the sport continues to thrive.
An emergency meeting was called on Thursday 14th April, 2023 between the Union and club chairmen.
The meeting seems to have birthed a resolution for the financial challenges facing these clubs and so, the game will be played as earlier scheduled.
Reports claim that each Clubs has been promised to receive Sh10m, before this upcoming match-day, as the second batch of the Sponsorship package from the league sponsor.
