Key duo of Heritier Habimana and Jean Luc Tuiyisenge has returned to Thousand Hills line-up as the former champions face reigning champions Kigali Sharks in the national rugby league on Saturday afternoon.

Kick-off 3pm, at Red Cross grounds in Kacyiru.

Widely regarded as the biggest rugby match on domestic scene, the fixture is guaranteed to be a much-heated affair between two archrivals who have a blend of youth and vastly experienced players.

They are the biggest contributors to the national team – Silverbacks.

The Hills captain Habimana, a blindside flanker, and openside flanker Tuyisenge return to the fold after missing the league’s first-half.

Habimana was in Hong Kong as the only Rwandan player who was selected in the all-star East African Team that had a series of matches and professional training in the Asian territory, while Tuyisenge has been out for six months with a knee injury.

Second Vice-captain Michel Mugisha, Carlos Isimbi, and Jacques Birigimana maintain their spots on the team, which will be beefed up by the coming of front-row Benjamin Makombe, and return of Guellord Rukubi after missing his side’s last two games due to personal reasons.

Makombe joined the Hills after his former club, Remera Buffaloes, pulled out of the championship in March.

Kigali Sharks won the two sides’ reverse game 26-21.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com