White Oak Sports

Started writing again. Don't be shy, click the link and share if you like what you read.

Blink — Rujus Post by Rujus

Wishing you all blessings in the coming year. New years is supposed to be festive but how can the sports sector celebrate a new year with old wounds still throbbing and unhealed?
How can we? Why should we?

Twisted Truths: A Christmas Special Twisted Truths: A Christmas Special

We at White Oak Sports would like to wish every single one of the followers a Blessed 2019. Here is to a year of unreserved growth in high school sports, and unmatched coverage from us this year.

***Kololo SS pulls out of Schools' League Rugby: League moves from to ***

In an unexpected move, Kololo Secondary School announced that they would not be taking part in the this year, and did not cite any particular reasons as to why. Kololo SS, banned last year for fielding non-students in its semi-final game, was set to take part in this year's edition of the super eight after its ban was lifted by Uganda School's Rugby Association, USRA, later on in the same year.
Kololo SS was a big game player, bagging a number of sevens tournaments including the and reaching the finals and semi finals of schools league rugby a good number of times. It was a breeding place for a number of today's outstanding players, including Kato and Wasswa, the famed rugby twins, Mohammed Haruna of Pirates Rugby club and a number of other much older players, therefore its pullout came as the second great shock to highschool rugby after East Africa and Uganda champions Hana Mixed pulled out last year. This begs the question: what is happening to rugby at school's level?
USRA was therafter coerced by the status quo to change the games' schedule, with each school playing a maximum of four games before continuing to the semi finals. We asked a few rugby patrons and enthusiasts for their say on the matter and after requesting to stay anonymous, here is their correspondence:
"In the one year USRA had after Hana Mixed pulled out, you would think they had found a replacement for it from the pool of teams in second div! Now another has pulled out and we are only six. "

Second division rugby league boasts of teams like Greenhill Academy, Vienna International School, Mengo SS and many others.
Another correspondent said that school patrons are more focused on winning and therefore do not put up measures to improve and build the sport but rather, do more short term things like buying players from other schools.
What is your say on this matter?

In a rather uneventful way, Sunday marked the beginning of the school's league with King's College Budo totally disciplining London College in all three categories, beating it on zero in U15,U17 and U19 rugby.
Light Academy Secondary Boy's - Uganda failed to show up for their game against Makerere College School, leaving Union Officials present disappointed and the referees had to award a walkover to MACOS. Details on the reason behind Light Academy's pullout are still unclear but we shall keep you posted.

*** Will Namilyamgo hold onto it's title this season?***

The inter-schools' rugby tournament commonly known as Super Eight, which boasts of myriad rugby-playing schools, and which has been the breeding ground for Uganda's best rugby players at both professional and semi-pro level is slated to kick off on the 18th of February, 2018, according to a recent letter from the Uganda Schools Rugby Association, USRA.

Normally graced by 8 schools, this year's eighth school is yet to be determined, and we will update you as soon as it is.

Last year's competitions, in spite of being marred by filed reports and complaints to USRA citing malpractice by various teams (refer to past posts), were full of highly competitive games played with German precision and breathtaking shows of skill from the likes of Hans Kakira , Balagadde Kelvin, Magero Humphrey and Sempeke Josiah, to mention but a few. Namilyango College put up a show worth a number of standing ovations, King's College Budo put up a surprisingly good show after limping for a number of years, Makerere college school, under the one Dr. Lumu showed an undying spirit, getting out in the semis but leaving it's mark. Kololo SS put up a good show but indiscipline cost them, and Light Academy Secondary Boy's - Uganda well they did more slaying on pitch than rugby, but put up a number of brave shows against their opponents. London College was the most silent participant with a number of missed games and a number of losses, whereas Hana international school " Hana Ruffianz" , once a rugby powerhouse, pulled out because they didn't have any players left after the rugby scholarships were removed.
This year, however, the cards have been laid out evenly on the table, and the dice has been rolled. Of the above mentioned schools, which one in your opinion will win this year's ? Will Namilyango hold onto it, or will it hand it over to another school?

***Jinja SS Marks 55Years of Independence with a Cup***

The annual Independence Cup Rugby Tournament this year was held this week on Monday 9th October 2017 at Kyadondo Rugby Grounds. Uganda's 55th Independence Anniversary was celebrated with a muddy melee of sweaty boys from five different schools, all vyingbfor the top spot in the USRA organised tournament. Similar to last year, traditional schools disappointed and few showed up, leaving the competition low and the participation dismal.
Kyambogo College School, Jinja SS, Watoto Secondary School, Greenhill Academy and Makerere College were the only schools that managed to grace the event with Light Academy which has been an unrelenting participant for the last 5years pulling out at the last minute for unspecified reasons. Kyambogo College made an unprecedented return to high school rugby with it's participation in this tournament. As the final high school rugby tournament of the year, schools are left to prepare for the coming season due next year first term.

Just in:
Upper Hill beats Namilyango 12~11 in a closely matched game.

***Namilyango SMACKs SMACK, Western Uganda and Northern Uganda rugby disciplined by Kenya and Rwanda***

Yesterday marked the beginning of the East Africa Sevens games, while the fifteens tournament continued with fiery heat from the Kenyans and humble acceptance from our Ugandan representatives. Scores of 60+ we're the order of the day, with Namilyango disciplining SMACK 26~12 in a derby game. Sevens reflected much of the same with even the debutant Rwandese team beating Dr. Obote College by over 50 points, but kololo managed to add push some wind under the Crane's wings when it beat Get Set Trinity in one of the last games of the day. Ninja SS and Kololo SS represented the Ugandan sevens scene very well and are currently Uganda's biggest contenders. Please find the detailed results of today's games starting with the 15s, and then the 7's.

***
15's:
SMACK 12~26 Namilyango College Kakamega 61~0 Ntare School
Laiser Hill 60~0 Mbarara High

***
7's:
Menengai 3~0 Chavakali
Jinja Ss 13~15 Kololo Ss 15
Muhuri M 27~7 Lango College
Dr. Obote College 0~50 E Set Trinity
Jinja Ss 35~0 Dr. Obote College Chavakali 24~0 Lango College
Kololo Ss 24~7 Et Set

Inset: Pictorial

***Mbarara H.S. SMACKed, Ntare sent back to the drawing board***

Today's East Africa Rugby games we're a sore sight for western Uganda rugby as both it's representatives we're beaten in the morning matches. Namilyango college continued it's glory run with a clean sweep over Ntare whereas SMACK regained it's footing in a closely contested match against Mbarara High, escaping with a narrow win. Kakamega faced it's Kenyan counterpart Upper Hill, coming off with a 14:08 win.
9:00am Namilyango College23~03 Ntare School
11:00am St. Marys College Kisubi 18~14 Mbarara High School
3:30pm Kakamega 14~08 Upper Hill
Stay tuned for more updates.

True voice of talent.