'Heathens' win was a true testament of character - Athiyo

Platinum Credit Heathens coach Mohammed Athiyo has lauded his boys for their resilience and character that saw them overcome Hippos in Jinja with the last move of the match.

Both the Hippos and Heathens exchanged the lead at some points in the well-attended Nile Special Rugby Premier League match, but the holders left it late to win through Lawrence Ssebuliba’s last try.

“This was one of those games that I could say was the true statement and character of the team,” Athiyo sighed with relief.

“Endurance, belief and determination were the key factors to winning the game,” he added.

The Hippos took a shocking 11-08 lead that stretched into the last ten minutes of the first half. However, the champions rebooted to gain control of the match.

“We started very well but somehow fell short. However, we picked ourselves up towards the end of the first half, and the boys did it.

“The Hippos have an excellent backline that matched us though we’re also good in that area. So, our approach was to come and play the pack game,” Athiyo added