The Black Pirates have mastered the art of stamping their authority on games, largely thanks to their stacked bench.
In most positions, the finishers are as lethal as the starters, leaving the opposition with no opportunity for a comeback.
For context, Pirates lost the regular season game against the KOBs, thanks to the exploits of substitute Josiah Ssempeke and his last-minute drop goal, whereas the returning Ivan Magomu, at the time, fluffed two penalties wide when he was introduced in the second half of that game.
The bench can either win you or confirm the prevailing result of the game, as the Bweyogerere boys and their opponents this Friday have come to learn. Their game against the Rhinos at Legends was only 07-10 at the break, but with enforcement, they registered 39 more points on the board. Heathens, on the other hand, faced the second-half wrath of the Pirates in the regular season, but survived a first-half scare in the first leg of the quarterfinal against the Victoria Sharks, who had no response to the Yellow Machine substitutes like Michael Wokorach and Claude Otema.
There are many dynamics to why and when teams deploy their benches. Whether it is introducing a “Bomb Squad”, plugging holes on the pitch re-adjusting the attack and defense to the needs and tempo of the game, impact is the only result expected with fresh legs. In the regular season, KOBs dominated the Heathens scrum in a game that ended in an 11-all draw. The KOBs arguably had the better forwards firepower on the bench but introduced all of them at once, a move that didn’t pay off. The Heathens, meanwhile, introduced Faisal Gama to steady the ship and Malcom Okello to cover the backs, while Akera Komakech and Lawrence Ssebuliba added momentum in the forwards. All these Yellow substitutes were made at intervals as compared to their opponents who went for a bomb squad tactic.
Impact subs on Set Pieces
The bench shall also be key in reinforcing the set pieces on the pitch. Away from the mandatory front row on the bench, key figures in the second and back row shall have a big impact on the game for the Pirates. What Heathens lack in the scrum, they make up for in the line outs. Rookie hooker Sylvester Munguacel has been impeccable with the throws and carries while seasoned jumpers; Simon Diego Olet and Aziz Khan have provided reassurance on offence and been a menace for the opposition.
Whether it is Innocent Gwokto deputising at flyhalf or Stephen Alul and Ivan Magomu off the bench, the set plays are something to look out for when it comes to the impact of the substitutes off the bench.
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