Defending champions APR will be out to retain their volleyball league title when they take on the National University of Rwanda in the men’s Playoffs final on Sunday at Amahoro indoor stadium. However, the holders will be missing their key player Theodore Thiambo, who was suspended for one year with Rwanda volleyball Federation after he was found out to have been registered for two clubs, including DR Congo’s Young. APR side will also be without head coach Sammy Mulinge Mutemi, who is on duty with the Kenya national U23 women’s team at the World Championships in Mexico, and in his absence, the team will be handled by his assistants Alex Nkuranga and Elie Mutabazi. Mutabazi, a former APR and national team player, said, “We have prepared so well for the Playoffs final and we hope to win. It will be a very tough game against NUR, which is one of the best teams in the country.” “It’s the biggest and most important game of the season for both teams, so we need to be calm and be ready for the challenge, we are the defending champions and we need to retain out title,” he noted. The winner of today’s final game will be the 2013 league champions. Both sides are coming into the final tied on 47 points. The National University of Rwanda under coach Fidele Nyirimana ‘Fidjo’ will go into the game looking to wrestle the title away from their rivals. NUR will be boosted by the availability of their key players including Guillaume Irakarama, Jean Claude Mbonyuwontuma “Kizungu” and Cyprien Uwimana “Stopper”. In the women category, Rwanda Revenue Authority will be hopping to dethrone APR as the women league champions when the two sides clash in the final, starting at 2pm, which will precede the men’s final. League champions since 2000 (Men): 2000 -KVC 2001 -NUR 2002 -NUR 2003 -KVC 2004 -NUR 2005 -APR 2006 -NUR 2007 -APR 2008 -APR 2009 -APR 2010 -NUR 2011 -APR 2012 -APR
