A year ago, Nile Rapids did not show up for the Uganda Rugby 7s Series opening Stop. In the recently concluded Lawii Rwodi 7s, 4th Stop of the 7s Series in Gulu, they beat Thunderbirds 12–7 to reclaim their lead in the 2026 Uganda Rugby 7s Series. It was their third title in four stops. A bounce back that also signals dominance.
The win marked a remarkable turnaround for a club that endured a turbulent 2025 season and now stands just two stops away from potentially winning its first ever overall national sevens title.
The Journey
At the Entebbe 7s, Rapids claimed their first circuit title with a 10–5 extra time victory over Avengers, with Fatuma Kirabo scoring twice.
They followed that with another triumph at the Kyabazinga 7s in Bugembe, edging Thunderbirds 5–0 to become the first women’s team to win two circuits in the 2025 series.
Rapids then reached the Kabale 7s final, only to lose to Thunderbirds.
From being 10 points adrift, Rapids had closed the gap to just four points in the space of two weekends and appeared to be mounting a serious title challenge.
But consistency ultimately proved decisive.
Thunderbirds went on to win the overall series, while Rapids finished fifth.
The lesson was simple: in a long sevens series, missing even one Stop can prove costly.
A Different Nile Rapids in 2026
Nile Rapids returned for the 2026 season with the lessons of the previous campaign firmly in mind. They began with back to back titles.
At the Stone City 7s in Jinja on July 25, they edged defending champions Thunderbirds 7–5 in the final.
A week later, at the Rujumba 7s in Bweyogerere, they defeated rivals Walukuba Titans 15–10 to claim another circuit title.
Two stops. Two trophies. And the series lead.
The Kyadondo Setback.
Their momentum was tested at Kyadondo. Nile Rapids lost nine players to national school duty after they were selected to represent Jinja SSS at the FEASSA Games 2026: Justine Anguchia, Jemima Namukose, Claire Mutesi, Asha Fayira, Gorreti Babirye, Mariam Nambi, Rose Nakirya, Mercy Kyakuwaire and Fatuma Kirabo.
Eight of the nine had been regular starters during the team’s opening two victories.
Depleted, Rapids finished sixth at Kyadondo 7s, their worst result of the 2026 7s campaign and surrendered the series lead to Thunderbirds.
Redemption in Gulu
Lawii Rwodi 7s was an opportunity to rewrite a painful chapter.
The same team that had finished at the bottom a week earlier topped its pool, negotiated a demanding knockout stage and produced another showdown against Thunderbirds in the final.
This time, Rapids prevailed 12–7, scoring a decisive late try to seal the championship.
It was their third circuit title of the season and, once again, put them at the summit of the series standings.
Homecoming With History at Stake
Next comes the Kyabazinga 7s in Jinja, home territory for Nile Rapids and a tournament that already holds a special place in the club’s history.
Rapids are the defending champions, having beaten Thunderbirds 5–0 in the 2025 Kyabazinga 7s final.
The title race, however, remains finely balanced.
Rapids lead Thunderbirds by just one point heading into the final two stops of the 2026 Uganda Rugby 7s Series. With so little separating the two sides, a single poor pool stage performance or one costly mistake could change the entire picture.
But Rapids enter the decisive phase of the season with something they did not have a year ago: belief, consistency and momentum.
They have already beaten Thunderbirds and Walukuba Titans in the finals this season. They have also demonstrated that they can win away from home.
Now comes the biggest challenge.
If Nile Rapids can successfully defend their Kyabazinga 7s crown and maintain their composure at the final Stop, they will not only have the most Stop victories of any women’s team in the 2026 Uganda Rugby 7s Series, they will finally have the national title they have been chasing. The journey to the brink of history could hardly be more dramatic.