The Nile Rapids wrote history after defeating the Avengers to lift the 2023 Uganda Cup, their first major trophy.
The star of the show was the Captain Tina Akello who exhibited skill, composure, high Rugby IQ and strong leadership.
She scored all the 25 points in a game where the Nile Rapids turned tides against the Avengers, limiting them to zero points in the second half.
This was the second time in a row the Rapids have done this, the first being in the against the Black Pearls in the semi final, which ended
The Avengers came into the game with a higher pedigree, being the title holders and for a moment in the first half all seemed to be going according to plan.
The pack, which was heavier and more experienced, was using their size to advantage, particularly Fazira Namukwaya who was making big carries and also scored a try which leveled the game.
Power runner Christine Akello was also doing her thing, scoring the first try of the game for the Avengers.
Things tuned bad for the Avengers in the second half and to make matters worse, the duo (Fazira and Christine) got yellow cards which cost the team alot.
Nile Rapids Captain Tina Akello showed the world why she has been summoned to the sevens camp and also why she’s the starting fly half on the Lady Cranes 15’s team.
The confidence with which she took the drop goal says a lot about her character.
The try she scored also, dancing through the defense like a mouse infont of a cat’s mouth, shows that she has the skills to back up the hype and when necessary, she can take matters into her own hands.
Many have come off saying she’s too small, but during the post game interview, she said, “it’s not the energy (size) that plays Rugby, it’s the heart and passion”.
The Nile Rapids shall be competing in the central women’s league this upcoming season and the expectations from the fans will be high.
The Victory in the Uganda Cup was a testament of what a strong team performance can do, despite one player being the most standout.
The Rapids reminded us that, if each team player can do their respective jobs well, there will always be a chance more so when you have a person with a high IQ who can make something out of nothing. On that day, it was Tina Akello, but on any other day, it can be anyone else.
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