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 Corporate Investment Banking, Paul Muganw, together with Kenneth Patrick Ogwal, an Exco Director.
The Pirates delegation was led by club president James Byaruhanga alongside the 26-man squad captained by Isaac Massanganzira. The team will be deputised 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 final marks a major milestone for Ugandan rugby, coming nearly five decades since a Ugandan club last reached the Enterprise Cup final, a feat that has remained elusive for generations of players and fans.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Muganwa congratulated Pirates RFC for their remarkable journey to the final and challenged the players to represent Uganda with pride.
“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 players to give their best and fly the Ugandan 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 been described 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 clash 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 make history by becoming the first Ugandan club to win the Enterprise Cup in the modern era.
In the backline, much attention will fall on vice-captain Frank Kidega, playmaker John Paul Atim, Humphrey Tashobya, and dangerous finisher Mubarak Wandera as the Pirates look to unlock Kabras Sugar’s defence.
The inclusion of experienced campaigners such as Conrad Wanyama, Allan Karuhanga, and Stephen Alul adds depth and leadership to the travelling team, while younger players like Timothy Kisiga and Haruna Muhammad offer energy off the bench.