Uganda Rugby Union Clarifies on the New Nile Special Rugby League Format.

With the Nile Special Rugby Premier League 2024 set to return, URU will adapt a formula that is used in many countries and Championships including Super Rugby, which is one of the best Rugby competitions around the world.

Awaiting for the new season to kick off on 3rd February 2024, the provisional fixtures of the Season have been released with a couple of changes .

Changes Include;

• Increase in the number of teams for Men from Ten (10) to Twelve (12) and the games shall be a Single either Home or Away format.

• Rams RFC that was set to be relegated, will stay in the top division with Kitante Eagles RFC and Warriors RFC joining the top division to create a Twelve (12) Team Competition.

• Increase in Women’s teams from four (4) to seven (7) with the Panthers RFC , Mbale She wolves RFC and Nile Rapids RFC being the new additions to the top division.

• Top 8 Men’s teams at the end of the Regular Season will proceed to the Knock-Out Stages (quarter finals) and will play on a Home and Away basis (Round Robin).

• Winners of the quarter finals will proceed to the semi-finals which will be played on a home and away basis.

• Winners from the Semi- finals will proceed to a one-off final to determine the Champion.

• Bottom 4 Men’s teams will at the end of the regular season proceed to the relegation play-off stages and play according to rankings with relegation finals played on a home and away basis.

• Only two (2) losers will be relegated .

In case of a draw after both legs in the playoffs/final (Tie Breaker),ties will be resolved through various criteria;

Where at the end of the knockout matches i.e. quarter finals (over the two legs combined),

• Semi finals (over the two legs combined),
• relegation play off (over the two legs combined) or
• Championship finals and teams are tied on match points the winner will be determined in the following order:

a) 30 minutes total of extra time i.e. 15 minutes each half with 5 minutes interval.

 b) The team with the most tries over the two legs or in the final.

c)  The team with the least disciplinary cards over the two legs or the final. For avoidance of doubt a red card equals two (2) yellow cards.

d) Five place kicks per team along the 15 metre line from touch in the side of kickers choice using 5 different kickers.

e) If none of the above produces a result, then it will be resolved with a toss of a coin.

The new format will help improve the competition more so at the tail end of the season.

And knowing that every match counts and brings you closer to the trophy ,the format is set to make players and teams work even harder both in training and on the pitch.

Nile Special Rugby Championship Fixtures (Men), 3rd February, 2024 Week 1:

•Rams vs Impis 4pm (Graveyard)
•Eagles vs Walukuba 4pm (Kitante)
•Heathens vs Pirates 4pm (Kyad)
•Mongers vs Buffaloes 4pm (Ebbs)
•Hippos vs Kobs 4pm (Dam Waters)
•Warriors vs Rhinos 4pm (Legends)

Nile Special Rugby Championship Fixtures (Women), 3rd February, 2024 Week 1:

•Ewes vs Black Panthers 2pm (Graveyard)
•Thunderbirds vs Avengers 2pm (Kyadondo)
•She Wolves vs Nile Rapids 3pm (Mbale)

About Author