Saturday

REG            Vs   Gisagara   6pm

Third-place playoff

IPRC-East  Vs   UTB           11am

Reigning champions Gisagara meet Rwanda Energy Group (REG) on Saturday in Game 1 of the best-of-three volleyball playoff finals at Petit Stade in Remera.

It will be a clash of egos between the two finest sides in the national volleyball league, with Gisagara looking to start their title defence on a positive note, while REG seek to end the former’s dominance over the last three years.

The much-anticipated series are a repeat of the 2018 finals, which Gisagara won 2-0,  and REG coach Benon Mugisha has vowed that, "We want to win this [league] title, and we are going to fight for it with all that we got.”

He further noted: "This is the closest we have ever been to the league title, and my players understand well how important these games are. We will approach each as a do-or-die affair.”

Gisagara advanced to the finals of the 2019 playoff games after making light work of IPRC-East in the last four whereas REG eased past archrivals UTB in in the other semi-final tie.

After guiding the local champions to this year’s regional CAVB Africa Zone V Men’s Club Championship, and finishing 11th at the Africa Club Championships in Egypt last month, Gisagara coach Elam Byiringiro is also confident to inspire his team to a third consecutive league title.

"The fairly good performance in African championships boosted our confidence, the target is to use that experience in trying to win the league title. The opponent (REG) is a solid team, but I have faith in my players for the challenge,” said Byiringiro.

In the meantime, IPRC-East host Fidele Nyirimana’s UTB side, in Ngoma District, in Game 1 of the third-place playoff, which also will be the best-of-three series. The game starts at 11am.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com