Black Pirates coach identifies missing piece in Kenya, Uganda Rugby World Cup pursuit

For decades, Kenya and Uganda have dreamed of qualifying for the Rugby World Cup.

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Yet despite producing talented players, passionate supporters, and increasingly competitive domestic leagues, both nations continue to fall short whenever qualification comes around.

According to Black Pirates head coach Marvin Odongo, the reason is not the lack of talent. Instead, he believes East African rugby is being held back by a shortage of high-level competition.

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Odongo's assessment comes less than a year after Kenya Simbas saw their hopes of reaching the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia come crashing down during the Rugby Africa Cup qualifiers in Uganda.

The Simbas entered the tournament among the favourites after spending a month in South Africa preparing under head coach Jerome Paarwater. A 32-24 victory over hosts Uganda in the quarter-finals appeared to justify that confidence.

However, Kenya's campaign unravelled in the semi-finals against Zimbabwe Sables.

After leading 18-13 at halftime, the Simbas were unable to maintain their advantage and eventually succumbed to a 29-23 defeat, ending their hopes of securing Africa's automatic qualification slot.

A subsequent loss to Algeria in the third-place playoff also denied Kenya a place in the repechage pathway, meaning they must now wait until the 2031 qualification cycle for another shot at rugby's biggest stage.

Speaking after Black Pirates lost 25-12 to Kabras RFC in the Enterprise Cup final at RFUEA Grounds, Odongo said East African teams simply do not get enough opportunities to test themselves against quality opposition.

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"It would be great to see even more cross-border tournaments in the future. We need to play as many competitive matches as possible.

Both Kenya and Uganda have ambitions of competing at the World Cup, but one of the challenges holding us back is the lack of enough high-level competitive rugby," Odongo noted.

© Tabby Nashipae

The Ugandan coach pointed to the return of the cross-border Enterprise Cup as an example of the kind of competition that can help bridge the gap.

The tournament brought together clubs from Kenya and Uganda, with Black Pirates facing three Kenyan sides on their journey to the final before eventually losing to a dominant Kabras RFC outfit.

"I am very pleased that the two unions came together to bring this competition back. This is what rugby is all about: cross-border matches that allow teams and fans to enjoy the game at a higher level. It was especially nice for us to face three Kenyan sides on our way to the final.

This tournament benefits both countries. The teams are happy, the players are excited to test themselves against opponents from across the border, and that can only be good for the game," he said.

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Currently, the Elgon Cup and Victoria Cup remain the main competitive engagements between Kenya and Uganda, with limited opportunities for clubs and players to regularly face opposition from across the border.

Odongo believes increasing those encounters would accelerate the growth of players and ultimately strengthen national teams.

"Kabras have gone five years unbeaten in this competition, and while we may not have achieved the same on our side, fixtures like these are exactly what both teams need to keep improving.

Hopefully, that progress will trickle down to the national teams, enabling us to perform better and compete more effectively at the African level," he averred.

Up next, the Black Pirates will face Heathens in the Uganda Premiership semifinal match slated for Saturday, 6 June at the Kyadondo Rugby Club as they seek to retain their title.