Sunday                

1000 Hills           27-3         Muhanga RFC

Buffaloes           79-0         U.R Grizzlies

Debutants1000 Hills showed intent to win the national rugby league title by overcoming Muhanga RFC in the semi-final playoff played at UTEXRWA grounds on Sunday.

The Nyamirambo-based side won the hotly contested game 27-3 to set up a final clash against four-times and reigning title holders, Remera Buffaloes, who humiliated UR-Grizzlies 79-0 in the second semi-final at the same venue.

Muhanga, who topped the Southern Province regular season league, started strongly, however the title changed when 1000 Hills center Ombane Iradukunda crossed the try-line. Lock Christian Uwase added one try and winger Pierre Niyoyita two.

 Kicker Carlos Simbi converted just two tries and a penalty while Muhanga’s Emmanuel Iradukunda scored a penalty; he was later denied a consolation try by the 1000 Hills defence, who held up the ball.  The 1000 Hills captain Yvan Muhire said they had achieved their goal ,"The final will be a good game as we all want to win the league title especially since we haven’t won it before."

His counterpart of Muhanga, Livingstone Muhire admitted his team lost the game due to errors, but warned the University of Rwanda Grizzlies to expect a tough game in the battle for third place.

The Buffaloes scored 11 unanswered tries against inexperienced Grizzlies with Asuman Moise, Patrick Ikorukwishaka, Jean Paul Hajari, Vincent Kamali and Steven Kwizera all scoring more than once.

After the game, an excited Buffaloes’ French coach, Benjamin Veyrac, said they would stick to their simple forwards game in the final because 1000 Hills have a finer backline. "If we play this like this again we will have a good game in the final,” he said. The final will be played on May 9.