Written By | Alex Mbamanya
Jinja SS (yellow) eliminated defending champions Kings College Budo
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Mukono
Rugby Semifinals
SMACK 13 – Namilyango 11
Jinja SS 26 – Kings College Budo 10
Traditional rivals in schools rugby 15s, Namilyango College and Kings College Budo, will not meet in the final of the 2026 USSSA Ball Games, which climax on Thursday, May 7, at Namilyango College grounds. Instead, the two sides will face off in the third-place playoff.
This follows a major upset in the semifinals, where both favorites—who were expected to renew their rivalry in the final as they did last year—were eliminated by unlikely opponents. In 2025, Budo clinched the title with a last-minute victory over Namilyango.
Jinja SS (yellow) eliminated defending champions Kings College Budo
Namilyango were the first to fall, losing 13-11 to St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK) in front of their home crowd. Despite taking an early 7-0 lead, they failed to maintain momentum, allowing SMACK to stage a comeback and secure the win.
Jinja SS then stunned defending champions Kings College Budo. Having already knocked out another contender, Makerere College, in the quarterfinals, Jinja SS continued their impressive run.
Namilyango (green) lost 13-11 to SMACK
The Walukuba-based side dominated the match, capitalizing on Budo’s struggles. Budo managed only a penalty in the first half, while Jinja SS surged ahead with a 14-3 lead at the break.
Jinja SS maintained control in the second half to seal a convincing 26-10 victory, ending Budo’s five-year run of reaching the final.
The finals will be played on Thursday morning, with Jinja SS aiming to secure their first national schools rugby 15s title. Meanwhile, Namilyango and Budo will battle for the bronze medal.
Torch Media Africa
