The Kabale Municipality Stadium was shrouded in a poetic, ethereal mist on Saturday morning, the kind for which the highlands are famous. As the iconic crested cranes made a graceful appearance, blessing the ceremony with their elegance, the stage was set for a weekend of thrilling sevens rugby at the Kabale 7s. When the final whistle blew on Sunday, two champions stood tall: the Toyota Buffaloes and the Thunderbirds RFC.

The action began fiercely from the opening rounds. The Stanbic Black Pirates sent a clear message with a resounding 38-0 victory over the Tooro Lions, a match where the phenomenal speed and footwork of Sydney Gongodyo electrified the crowd.

The women’s draw ignited with equal intensity. The Thunderbirds announced their title ambitions in devastating fashion against the Kigezi Queens. Facing the formidable Angela Nayongo, the Queens were quickly overwhelmed. Agnes Nakuya delivered the first try for the Thunderbirds with ease just minutes into the game, Tamara Achen added the conversion, and a demolition began. The clinical performance ended with 50-0, a thunderous warning to all other contenders. Meanwhile, the legendary Helen Koyokoyo Buteme, an icon of the game, showed her enduring class on the field for the Black Pearls, though they fell 19-7 to a strong She Wolves side.

As the tournament progressed to Day 2. The Main Cup quarter-finals saw decisive victories for the top teams: Walukuba overcame a tough Rhinos side 24-14, the Pirates dominated the Elgon Wolves 36-10, the Buffaloes shut out the Hippos 12-0, and the Heathens defeated the Eagles 26-12. These four winners of the main cup quarter finals; Walukuba, Pirates, Buffaloes, and Heathens; advanced to the semi-finals.

Sunday’s semi-finals were epic battles. In the men’s draw, The Pirates came in hard and built a strong lead in the first half. However, the momentum shifted dramatically as Shakim Ssembusi scored the first try for Walukuba to ignite the comeback. Ivan Bulima followed close after with a second try and then added another soon after. The wheels seemed to come off the Pirates’ ship, and in the end, it was Walukuba who emerged victorious with a nail-biting 28-26 win to set up a final showdown.

Next on the field was the Buffaloes facing the Heathens. The Heathens scored first, but the Buffaloes were not far behind, evening the score shortly after,  with a try from Humphrey Ndahura. Meddie Abdullah scored a crucial try in the second half, sealing a stunning 10-5 upset to send the Buffaloes to the final.

In the women’s semi-finals, the Thunderbirds proved their might with a 20-5 win over Walukuba Titans, while Nile Rapids won a tight 17-14 contest against the Black Pearls.

The finals delivered on all promises, featuring intense clashes between the tournament’s top contenders. The men’s final was a repeat of the Gulu 7s decider, and the Buffaloes once again proved to be Walukuba’s nemesis. In a nail-biting clash of the tournament’s two best teams, the Buffaloes sealed a historic 14-12 victory to complete their dominant run and claim the Kabale 7s crown.

The women’s final was a fiercely contested battle between the Thunderbirds and Nile Rapids. Living up to their name, the Thunderbirds’ relentless pressure and clinical finishing, first demonstrated in their opening game, proved decisive once more, securing a hard-fought 15-10 victory to be crowned champions.

As the mist settled once more over the Kabale Municipality Stadium, it covered a field of dreams realized. The Thunderbirds and Toyota Buffaloes had not just won a tournament; they had conquered a field of giants to claim their crowns, writing a perfect ending to a weekend of breathtaking sevens rugby.