The Uganda Rugby Union (URU) has announced the rebranding of its Elite and Tier 2 Club rugby competitions, marking a key step in the organization’s broader strategy to enhance the structure of the sport in the country.
Effective immediately, the top-tier Uganda Rugby Championship will now be known as the Uganda Rugby Premiership (URP). This change reflects the competition’s new format, which includes a round-robin stage followed by playoffs. The Uganda Rugby Premiership will now serve as the premier rugby competition in Uganda.
In addition to the renaming of the national league, the regional rugby leagues, which also act as promotional leagues, will now carry the title of Championships. The four regional leagues will be officially designated as the Eastern Rugby Championship (ERC), Central Rugby Championship (CRC), Northern Rugby Championship (NRC), and Western Rugby Championship (WRC).
These changes extend to both the men’s and women’s rugby leagues. The women’s top-tier competition will be known as the Uganda Women’s Rugby Premiership (UWRP), while the regional women’s leagues will follow suit with new titles: North Women’s Rugby Championship (NWRC), Central Women’s Rugby Championship (CWRC), Western Women’s Rugby Championship (WWRC), and Eastern Women’s Rugby Championship (EWRC).
The rebranding and restructuring of Uganda’s rugby competitions are part of a concerted effort to develop a more professional, marketable, and structured rugby ecosystem within the country. These changes are expected to raise the profile of rugby in Uganda and create a more competitive and sustainable league system.
