National 7s: Thunderbirds reclaim top spot after Kyabazinga 7s maiden title win

Thunderbirds RFC defeated Walukuba Titans 17-12 to lift their maiden Kyabazinga 7s title and went top of the women’s standings.

After the Nile Rapids and Avengers falling in the semifinal, the women’s category of the Kyabazinga 7s was set to confirm a new champion between the Thunderbirds and Walukuba Titans.

There was a lot on the line as the Titans were playing before their home crowd at the Bugembe Stadium while the Thunderbirds had an opportunity to secure a second Stop win and pull away from the Rapids at the top of the table standings.

The Titans went ahead first through two tries by Hope Mulonde and Sarah Kirabo, with Kirabo’s try being converted by Caroline Anena. The Thunderbirds looked stunned as all the strings they tried to pull produced nothing.

It took the halftime talk and tactical reminder of coach Kigongo Ssebalamu and Muhammad Athiyo to get the Thunderbirds back on track and mount a comeback.

Two quick unconverted tries by Sandra Lona Amoli and Gertrude Kateesa brought the Kyadondo side back into the contest, before Amoli provided a sweet assist to Grace Nabaggala who ran through the gap and scored under the poles. Proscovia Akello’s conversion put the Thunderbirds 5 points ahead before the game came to a nervy finish.

A handling error by the Titans handed possession to the Thunderbirds, but that scrum resulted in a freekick hence handing the ball back to the Titans. The Thunderbirds showed strength in the scrum to force a turnover penalty for Amoli to finish the game.

This win means that the Thunderbirds have now accumulated 99 points in the National 7s series, 6 more than the Nile Rapids who sit in 2nd place with 93 points.

The Kabaka Coronation 7s will be the final decider this Friday and Saturday, but the series title race appears to be done and dusted, unless something disastrous happens to the Thunderbirds where they finish 4th or lower while the Nile Rapids win the 6th Stop.

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