Lagos State will be the center of attention as the South West Rugby 15s tournament kicks off at the National Stadium Main-bowl in Surulere this Saturday.
This zonal championship marks the beginning of a series of programs initiated by the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) to revitalize the sport and spread it across the country.
The NRFF has planned a series of regional rugby tournaments across the six geopolitical zones, with the winners from each region participating in a grand finale at a yet-to-be-named venue.
Speaking ahead of the kickoff, President Dr. Ademola Are highlighted the challenges and aspirations of the federation.
“There are many things to be done to make rugby one of the most watched sports in Nigeria. Though we are hampered by funding challenges, we will not let that deter us from focusing on the big picture, which is to take the game to every area of the country. We are also excited by the interest shown by some states and their willingness to host zonal tournaments. Kudos to Edo State for their decision to host the South South tournament, while Anambra will host the South East tournament. We are also in talks with some states for the North Central, North East, and North West regions,” he concluded.
Six teams, namely Ogun State Kings, Nigeria Police RFC, ECO RFC, Cowrie RFC, Gosar RFC, and Racing RFC, will compete in the tournament, which will run from July 6th to August 31st, 2024
The Nigeria Police RFC will aim to defend the title they last won in 2019, when the league was last held. Cowrie RFC of Lagos, the most decorated South West champions, will rely on their experience as they navigate the league, hoping to secure another shot at the national title.
Meanwhile, the ladies are not left out, as three teams namely,Nigeria Police Women’s, Gosar Women’s and Eco II Women’s will compete in the Rugby 10s, part of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation’s program.
Last year, the federation organized a national women’s rugby tournament hosted by Delta State, with Edo RFC emerging as the champions. This time, they are expected to face strong opposition from other clubs
