Black Pirates head coach Marvin Odong embraces finals pressure

The Black Pirates have overcome adversity on and off the pitch this season to reach the National Rugby Premiership final.

Leading up to their semifinal encounter against the Heathens, the Pirates lost a key player in Sydney Gongodyo, whose young life was cut short due to mob violence.

The Pirates recollected themselves and won the first leg 15-03 at Kyadondo Rugby Club, then went on to weather the Heathens’ storm at Kings Park Arena to advance to the final on a 36-30 aggregate win, despite the loss at home.

Despite the tumultuous past three weeks, the Pirates have shown character in their title defence, thanks to the leadership of Isaac Massa and Frank Kidega on the pitch, while in the technical area, they’ve had the astute guidance of their coach, Marvin Odong.

Going into the final, Odong believes he and his coaching staff have done enough to prepare the Pirates for the big encounter.

“Preparations have gone well. We’ve gone through our paces, and the players have worked hard throughout the week. The focus has been excellent, and we’re looking forward to what should be a great final between two quality sides,” Odong remarks.

The Pirates won the 2025 title after a mouth-watering encounter against the Jinja Hippos that went down to extra time. This year, the ideal situation for the Pirates would be to close the game within the 80 minutes, something that Odong believes is achievable.

“We’ve done our part to ensure the boys are in the best shape they can be, so I believe they’ll be locked in and ready for the weekend. They have earned the right to play in this final despite a rough past few weeks, and I have no doubt they’ll make themselves proud on Saturday,” Odong expresses confidence in his team.

On the other hand, the Buffaloes have been an exciting side to watch this season. All their hard work has paid off, and now they find themselves in the final after losing to the Heathens 13 years ago in the final.

This incredible Buffaloes run, coupled with a tight 23-17 regular season win for the Pirates, is a wake-up call for Odong and his charges. He notes that ‘pressure is privilege’ and has urged his boys to embrace it because it is a part of playing at that level.

“What is a final without some pressure anyway?” Odong ponders. 

The Black Pirates are 3-time league winners and will be looking to add a 4th tomorrow, Saturday, at the Kings Park Arena.

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