Kyadondo hosts SF1 Round 1 between Heathens and Pirates as Rugby fraternity honours the late Sydney Gongodyo.
Match Kickoff time and date: 4:00 PM, Saturday 13th June
Venue: Kyadondo Rugby Grounds
The two sides chase a date with Toyota Buffaloes in the 2026 Final.
Uganda Rugby Premiership semi-finals round 1 are underway today, with a spot in the final against Toyota Buffaloes on the line. Platinum Credit Heathens host defending champions Stanbic Black Pirates in the first round of SF1 at Kyadondo, a fixture postponed last week following the untimely loss of Pirates flanker Sydney Gongodyo.
This one carries weight beyond the scoreboard. The rugby fraternity has spent the past week mourning Gongodyo, and Pirates will take the field without a number 7 after retiring the jersey permanently in his honour. Both sides are also missing a few key players, but the expectation is for an emotional, physical contest played in his memory.
Social media has been buzzing all week, and Kyadondo is expecting new faces alongside the regulars — fans drawn in by the story and the stakes.
Pirates arrive off a dominant quarter-final where they swept Walukuba Barbarians aside with ease. They’ve controlled games through territory and pace, and haven’t lost composure even when pushed. But they’ll have to do it at Kyadondo, the only venue where they’ve lost this season.
Heathens earned their place in the last four with a tough two-leg quarter-final win over Victoria Sharks. They backed it up with the same grit that delivered a 30-26 regular-season victory over Pirates at Kyadondo, a result that gave them a blueprint: win the breakdown, slow Pirates’ ball, and stay patient in attack.
With Buffaloes already through to the final after beating Impis RFC, the winner of this two-round semi will meet them for the Premiership title.
SQUAD LISTS
Platinum Credit Heathens
Stanbic Black Pirates
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