The 2026 Rugby Premiership season launched a number of promising abilities on the rugby scene, however the gamers on this record surpassed their friends.
These gamers have both been beneath the radar or this has been their rookie season within the premiership, however one factor is for certain: they’ve come of age and brought the league by storm.
The frequent elements amongst them are age, expertise and establishing themselves of their respective golf equipment with prospects of the nationwide group on the horizon.
Hussein Shein (Buffaloes, Scrumhalf)
Hussein is a participant who nearly made it to this record final season, however he was largely overshadowed by the skilled Arnold Musaazi at Buffaloes.
This season, Hussein has been on the coronary heart of the whole lot Buffaloes because the Kyadondo aspect made the long term to the ultimate since 2013.
He has been tactfully began on the bench in a season the place the Buffaloes had been described as a second-half group for his or her exploits after the twentieth minute.
Shaine Josephine Babirye (Nile Rapids, Scrumhalf)
2026 has been Shaine’s yr. Her group, the Nile Rapids, got here off the backdrop of successful the
Uganda Cup on the tail finish of 2025, to difficult till the ultimate day of the ladies’s
premiership, however falling to the Thunderbirds.
Babirye is a flexible participant who has run out in varied positions at her membership, however she has since owned the No. 9 shirt.
During that unimaginable season, Babirye received the chance to be referred to as as much as the Lady Cranes 15s coaching squad, and she or he in the end made the lower, representing Uganda on the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup 2026.
Darren Aine (Impis, Fullback/Winger)
The buzz round Aine began whereas he was nonetheless a schoolboy at St. Mary’s College, Kisubi
(SMACK) the place he performed rugby and soccer as a goalkeeper.
He then joined Impis within the championship, the place he made his mark on senior rugby as a secure pair of palms, a deep attacking risk and a dependable goalkicker.
Aine has seamlessly carried these qualities to the premiership, the place he was a part of the group that reached the semifinal, regardless of enjoying a number of video games at wing, away from his most well-liked fullback place.
Proscovia Mukyala (Thunderbirds, Lock)
Mukyala is a proud product of this system at Buddu Rugby. Together with a number of different gamers,
Mukyala made the massive leap to premiership rugby final season by leaving Masaka to hitch the
Thunderbirds, a transfer that has paid off.
She made her nationwide group debut with the Lady Cranes 15s final yr in San Pedro, Ivory Coast after which in Madagascar on the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup, however this yr she proved to be an irreplaceable piece for membership and nation.
Joshua Kafugankande (Heathens, Lock)
Kafugankande’s rise to turning into a first-team mainstay hasn’t been very clean. He earned his stripes enjoying for the Stallions and the Heathens 2, with a number of cameos within the senior group as cowl for Charles Uhuru and Simon ‘Diego’ Olet.
Last season, he established himself because the go-to lock for the Heathens, however it’s his partnership this season with newly signed Julius Opio that has pointed to a rebuild at Kyadondo.
Whereas Kafugankande is pretty quick for a ahead, he hasn’t totally unlocked his attacking talents. However, he makes up for this with relentless defence and tackles that stick, along with being a line-out menace for the opponents.
Honourable Mentions: Edgar Akimanzi (Impis), Marvin Asaba (Heathens), Leonard Ndiku
(Buffaloes), Jemimah Namukose (Nile Rapids), Walter Otim (Heathens), Terry Nuwagaba
(Impis).
