Stanbic Bank flags off Pirates RFC ahead of historic Enterprise Cup final in Nairobi

May 29, 2026 in by Editor

Stanbic Bank Uganda has officially flagged off Pirates Rugby Club ahead of Saturday’s historic Enterprise Cup final in Nairobi, where the Ugandan champions will face Kenya’s Kabras Sugar RFC in a match seen as a defining moment for Ugandan rugby.

 

Stanbic Bank Uganda has officially flagged off Pirates Rugby Club ahead of the club’s historic appearance in the Enterprise Cup final set for Nairobi this Saturday.

The send-off ceremony was held at Crested Towers and presided over by Stanbic Bank Uganda Executive Director and Head of Corporate and Investment Banking Paul Muganwa alongside Exco Director Kenneth Patrick Ogwal.

The Pirates delegation was led by club president James Byaruhanga together with the club’s 26-man squad captained by Isaac Massanganzira. The side will be deputized by vice captains Alex Aturinda and Conrad Wanyama.

The Ugandan champions will face six-time Kenyan champions Kabras Sugar RFC in the final scheduled for Saturday, May 30, in Nairobi, Kenya.

The match represents a defining moment for Ugandan rugby, coming nearly five decades since a Ugandan club last reached the Enterprise Cup final — a feat that has long eluded generations of players and fans.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Muganwa congratulated Pirates RFC for their remarkable run to the final and challenged the players to represent Uganda with pride on the regional stage.

“The ‘Twende Nairobi’ campaign is more than a rugby campaign. It is a movement that connects travel, regional integration, innovation, fan culture and seamless financial solutions into one shared East African experience,” he said.

Muganwa further urged the team to give their best and raise Uganda’s flag high as they seek to bring the prestigious trophy home.

Over the years, Pirates RFC has established itself as one of Uganda’s dominant rugby clubs, winning several domestic honours and consistently competing at the highest level of the sport. Their qualification for the Enterprise Cup final has also been framed as a reflection of Stanbic Bank’s ongoing “Keep Growing” campaign, which champions ambition, resilience and regional excellence.

Team captain Massanganzira expressed confidence in the squad’s readiness ahead of the highly anticipated showdown in Nairobi.

“This final is bigger than the Pirates badge. We are representing Ugandan rugby and an entire country that believes in what this team has achieved,” he said.

Massanganzira added that the players are in excellent condition and fully prepared to represent not only the rugby fraternity but the entire nation.

Pirates RFC will now head to Nairobi seeking to become the first Ugandan club to win the Enterprise Cup in the modern era.

Attention in the backline will fall on vice-captain Frank Kidega, playmaker John Paul Atim, Humphrey Tashobya and dangerous finisher Mubarak Wandera as the Pirates seek to unlock Kabras Sugar’s defense.

The inclusion of experienced campaigners such as Conrad Wanyama, Allan Karuhanga and Stephen Alul adds depth and leadership to the travelling squad, while younger players like Timothy Kisiga and Haruna Muhammad are expected to provide fresh energy off the bench.

For many rugby fans, the final is not only about silverware but also about restoring Uganda’s standing in East African rugby and inspiring a new generation of players to believe that Ugandan clubs can compete — and win — on the region’s biggest stages.

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