Benon Mugisha has urged his Rwanda Energy Group (REG) stars to believe in themselves and have a ‘winning attitude’ when they face Gisagara in the playoffs finals next month.

The two giants in local volleyball, REG and Gisagara, will go head-to-head in the best-of-five finals – starting April 27 – in a repeat of the 2018 finals after easing past IPRC-East and UTB, respectively, in semi-finals a fortnight ago.

While REG will be looking to win a historic first national volleyball league title, two-time reigning champions Gisagara seek to become the first side to win three championships in a row since APR in 2009.

REG advanced to the finals after making light work of IPRC-East in the best-of-three semi-finals, while Gisagara also brushed aside Fidele Nyirimana’s UTB in two games in the other last four tie.

According to Mugisha, his players have stepped up their game and matured a lot since losing the 2018 finals – and the league title – to bitter rivals Gisagara.

"We are not the same team that lost last year’s finals, we have since improved and matured almost in all aspects of our game,” he told Times Sport on Sunday.

"A lot will be at stake this time, we will be eyeing a first league time and at the same fighting to avoid losing (to Gisagara) the playoffs finals twice in a row.”

editor@newtimesrwanda.com