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Aturinda and his fellow Uganda Sevens teammates could be playing their last league game for their respective clubs.
Stanbic Black Pirates completed a league double over Kobs last season and will be looking to start on the front foot in this season’s encounters when the two sides meet at King’s Park Arena on Saturday.
The Sea Robbers got a 13-11 win at Legends in the first round last year and another 17-13 victory to complete the double in front of the home crowd.
It is now six games into the new season and Marvin Odongo’s charges are top of the table, on 28 points, two ahead of Saturday’s visitors and yet to lose a game.
The team’s first win of the season was a big one, a 24-18 victory over defending champions Heathens was supposed to send a message to the rest that Pirates mean business and want the league title.
But there are two particular fixtures that Pirates must dominate to win the title, and the second of those is against Kobs.
And forward Alex Aturinda knows the home side on Saturday must get another statement win to clear any doubts about their title ambitions.
“Kobs is a very big team,” Aturinda told Pulse Sports ahead of the game.
“We have to respect them but we don’t have to fear them. We are home and we have to make sure we play in a comfortable way so that we are able to come out with a win at the end of the day,” he added.
The start has been perfect for Pirates but making it seven wins in seven games on Saturday should be enough to see Odongo and his charges finish ahead of both Kobs and Heathens after round one.
“The first part of the season hasn’t been bad. We have managed to win all our games, some have been convincing wins, others slow but we take the positives, and that’s winning all our games,” Aturinda noted.
Aturinda and his fellow Uganda Sevens teammates could be playing their last league game for their respective clubs.
The national sevens side is starting preparations for the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series and selected players will have to excuse themselves from club rugby.
William Nkore, Desire Ayera and Timothy Kisiga are a big part of the Uganda Sevens set up and Pirates will have to do without them.
But focus, for now, is on Saturday’s game and it will mean a lot for Aturinda and company to go into the second round with wins over their title challengers.
“If we can’t beat the big teams then it will be hard to win the title.”
Kobs have already lost to Heathens, 17-15 at home, and cannot afford any more slip ups in the first round.
Defeat at King’s Park would leave Brian Makalama’s charges with a mountain to climb in the title race.
But Pirates know they have two tough trips away in the second round, to Legends and Kyadondo. They will do themselves a big favour by winning against their title rivals in front of the home crowd.
Heathens is out of the way and Kobs next in line.
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