Christian Ogar Is Emerges Best Rugby Player As CowryRFC Win South West Rugby League

Star boy of Nigeria rugby, Christian Ogar was on Saturday voted as the most valuable player and he also emerged as the highest point scorer of the South West Rugby league sponsored by CMB Building and Investment Company at the final day of the league which was held at the main bowl of the National stadium, Lagos.

Christain Ogar of Cowrie on the move

The national team player who plies his trade with Cowrie RFC of Lagos was consistent all through the season as he masterminded his team’s unbeaten run in the 2014/2015 rugby league with 36 tries, 1 try conversion and 3 penalty conversions recording a cumulative of 193 points.

Even though Cowrie RFC won the league before the league finals with accumulated points, the final against police was crucial in their quest to defend their 7 years 15’s unbeating run which was achieved with ease.

At the well-attended final league game sponsored by CMB Building and Inv. Co. Ltd, 3rd placed, Police RFC were awarded the fair play award despite losing to the champions, Cowrie RFC 22-0 in a match which could be described as fast and furious as both teams came out for the maximum points.

Ramon Bakare Police Captain being presented with the Fair play award by the MD CEO of CMB Building Maintenance & Inv Co Ltd Mr Kelechukwu Mbagwu

In the game which was characterised with mazy runs, pin point tackles and incisive passes, Sammy Ekpo bagged 2 tries while Dipo Olawale and Christian Ogar registered 1 try each and a conversion by Tunji Oduntan was all that was needed by Cowrie RFC to show their superiority against a very physical Police RFC side.

Meanwhile, in the first game of the day, spectators and invited guests were treated to a display of good game of rugby with both teams putting up a classy display, but the young and less experienced Royal Stallions of Ilorin side lost to Racing RFC 50-0, Racing RFC now claims the second spot on the league table and also a slot in the national playoff as the runners up of the South West Rugby Union League.

Mr Kelechukwu Mbagwu the MD/CEO of the league sponsor CMB Building and Ind. Co. Ltd, and the Vice President/Technical Director of Nigeria Rugby Football Federation Fasimoye Olatunji were present at the event for the award presentation.

Azeez Ladipo Cowrie Captain being presented with the throphy as champions of the SWL by the MD CEO of CMB Building Maintenance & Inv Co Ltd Mr Kelechukwu Mbagwu

Curtain Falls On South West Rugby League As Organisers Plans Award Ceremony

The last round of matches of the 2014/2015 South West Rugby league season sponsored by CMB Building will take place on Saturday, 29th of August at the mainbowl of the Lagos National stadium, Lagos.

According to the fixtures, 2nd placed Racing RFC will be looking at grabbing the maximum point as to consolidate their position on the log and book a place at the national playoff when they take on Royal Stallions of Ilorin who have already secured their top flight status next season.

The main battle of the day will be against a motivated Cowrie RFC side against 3rd placed Police RFC who will be desperate to win and hope that Racing will slip up in the race for the 2nd place.

SOUTH WEST RUGBY LEAGUE

Speaking ahead of the match, head coach of Cowrie RFC, Joseph Ofoha says despite having already emerged as the league champions, a victory against Police will be an icing on an already sweet cake and an avenue to avenge their 2013 final loss to Police at the Independence Sevens tournament.

The organizers while revealing the last match day schedule also revealed that immediately after the last match, there will be a brief award ceremony where cash rewards will be presented to the League winner, Most Valuable Player of the league, highest point scorer and fairplay award for the deserving team.

South West League: Police RFC Climb To Second Place…,

The tension of a derby and top of the table clash between two Victoria Island based teams; Cowrie RFC and Racing RFC provided a fascinating game of rugby, one that at a stage could have gone either way at the main bowl of the National stadium, Lagos on Saturday.

It took just 10 minutes for Onor Jatto to open the scoring for Cowrie as Christian Ogar took the responsibility of converting the kicks in the absence of inspirational captain, Azeez Ladipo who was not fielded. In what turned out to be a fast and furious game, racing responded almost immediately when centre, Festus Nwasor took advantage of a John Sylvanus error in the 27th minute and raced 50 yards for a try.

Sodiq Oduola of Cowrie RFC makes a tackle

After starting out slowly, Cowries’ speed star, Christian Ogar turned the heat on Racing RFC with two tries which prompted racing to make 2 substitutions- Chike Nwagbogu came out for Stephen Israel and veteran; Taleeb Adeniyi replaced Imeh Okon on the wing with little time remaining in the first half.

The grudge match that was described as the most tactical, exciting and “neatest” game of the day by fans and observers, resumed in the second half with the same urgency from both teams who were desperate to earn the bragging right. Christian Ogar kicked over a penalty early in the second half before Denis Clement who was a former Cowrie player replied Christian Ogar with a penalty conversion of his own.

Clement Denis scored another penalty and a drop kick point to take Racing points to 16 and his territorial kicking created a lot of problems and put Cowrie on the back foot towards the end. Cowrie defended well and held on for the double against Racing this season.

In the opening match of the day, Police RFC showed their superiority over Eco II with a 97-0 emphatic win.
Speaking after the game, captain of Police RFC, Rahmon Bakare said they actually came out for the game to overrun Eco II, but due to some silly mistakes, they could not score more as he promised that they will go back to the drawing board to perfect their tactics.

A dejected Captain of Eco II RFC, Kazeem Busari, said “We tried our best, but obviously our best was not enough due to the caliber of players at our disposal”

Meanwhile it took 18 minutes for the deadlock to be broken in the second match between Royal Stallions of Ilorin and Gosar RFC of Lagos.

It was Gosar RFC who broke the deadlock in the 18th minute with a breakaway try by Ezekiel Tom. Gosar further took a 12 point advantage with Dare Salami scoring another try before Sadiq Akanni redeemed himself scoring the resultant conversion after missing the first opportunity. Ife Ibiteye reduced the deficit scoring 3 points for Royal Stallions of Ilorin courtesy of a penalty kick.

Cowrie RFC in a defensive line

With the resumption of action in the second half, Salami Felix made a try for Gosar RFC in the 48th minute despite Royal Stallions proving a hard nut to crack and Sodiq Akanni scored the resulting kick as the match ended 19 points to 3 against Royal Stallions RFC.

Olatunbosun Plays Up Cowrie/Racing Rugby Football Club Rivalry

Ahead of this weekend’s clash between Racing Rugby Football Club and Cowrie RFC in the CMB Building Maintenance & Investment Company Limited/ South West Rugby league, Head coach of Racing, Ayo Olatunbosun Johnson has boasted that his team is always ready to come against any team.

Speaking after their evening training session on Wednesday, the ex-coaching coordinator for grassroots development, Lagos said Racing has a reputation to protect because they are the best rugby club in the country despite Cowries doing very well with couple of points clear on top of the South West league table after an impressive start to the season.

“I believe that with the spirit in camp plus our recent game pattern and records, we should be able to get a surprise win against Cowrie RFC on Saturday.”

Although many people describe our recent form as “medicine after death” but we want to maintain our second spot on the table and play in the national finals taking place in Abuja later this year.

He lamented the elongation of the 2014 league calendar which spilled into 2015 due to the breaks that normally comes in with mixing up international events with the domestic ones but acknowledged that the board is doing a great job.

Racing Fly half; Ekpo Williams in action during a South West Rugby league game

“I must give thumbs up to the NRFF Technical Director Tunji Fasimoye for the great job he is doing as per the South West Rugby league, and I think he is doing exceptionally well”

In other matches to be played on Saturday, third placed team, Police RFC will take on Eco II RFC while fourth placed Gosar RFC of Ajegunle will hope to fend off the surge of fifth placed Royal Stallions RFC of Ilorin.

South West Rugby League Resumes As Three Matches Take Center Stage

South West League coordinator Olatunji Fasimoye has announced that the CMB Building Maintenance & Investment Company Limited sponsored League will resume its final round of matches on the 1st of August. Teams have swung into action as they intensify preparation in their quest to improve and consolidate their positions on the log with three games remaining.

After weeks of break occasioned by the National Team engagements which were primarily prosecuted by predominant home based players which saw the Black Stallions book a place in the 50th edition of the All Africa Games in Congo and the Olympic qualifiers ticket in South Africa later in the year, Fasimoye expressed optimism that with the experience gathered by the players after mixing with their foreign based counterparts, the last 3 sets of matches promises to be explosive with a lot of technical and tactical improvements.

Hafis Ayinla of Cowrie RFC Breaking a Tackle at SWL Fixtures agains Eco II RFC

Three matches will be played at the National Stadium main bowl on the 1st of August starting at 11:00 am.

Third placed team, Police RFC will take on Eco II RFC whom is still searching for their first win this season. Fourth placed Gosar RFC of Ajegunle will hope to fend off the surge of fifth placed Royal Stallions RFC of Ilorin in the second match and the last match will be an explosive encounter between Victoria Island rivals; table topping Cowrie RFC parading the likes of Christian Ogar, Onoh jato and Azeez Ladipo against Racing RFC who are second on the log tutored by Ayo Olatunbosun. Racing will be looking for a revenge after Cowrie scored four tries on their way to a 26 – 8 victory in the first leg.

Cowrie RFC is a breakaway faction of Racing RFC in 2005 and has since dominated the rugby scene in the country.

Lagosians are enjoined to come all out and support the league on the 1st of August.

Please find attached for pix, League Fixture, League Log Table and League Scorer Chart.

NRFF Determined To Consolidate On 2014 Achievements

The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation has set all machinery in motion to consolidate the tremendous achievements recorded in 2014.

With the issue of funding being the primary challenge facing most federations in Nigeria, President of the federation, Sir Edward Pam Fom is hopeful that they can hit the ground running in 2015 with the exploration of new terrains through sponsorship from corporate sponsors which will reduce their over-dependence on the National Sports Commission.

Despite his displeasure in the low budget used in executing their programs last year, he hailed the National Sport Commission for their unflinching support in 2014 during preparations of the Black Stallions for international competitions held in Botswana and Zimbabwe. “The Federal Government on their part have tried, I appreciate the efforts of the Director General of the National Sports Commission Honorable Gbenga Elegbeleye, for approving training facilities and putting things in place for the Black Stallions, We had two international outings last year and they were both sponsored by CMB Building Maintenance & Investment Company Limited but the funds used for preparing the 15s and 7s National Teams for these tournaments is yet to be released by NSC.” Fom Pam said.

Speaking further, Fom Pam hinted that the federations have concluded all arrangements to consolidate its different sevens tournaments in 2015 one of which is the independence sevens which was held at the Onikan Stadium last year and was sponsored by CMB Building.

Tunji Fasimoye – VP NRFF,

“We want to maximize our seven series in Nigeria, embark on periodic high performance training which will start in February, we want to do our utmost best to get the best quality out of the players we have onboard.”
Corroborating the President’s declaration, Vice President/Technical Director of the federation, Olatunji Fasimoye revealed that concrete plans are in top gear for a formidable Black Stallions 15s and 7s teams in a bid to give the National team an identity which intending corporate sponsors can easily identify with.

He said the National Teams will no longer be an all-comers affair based on the reports submitted by the Technical committee of the NRFF, which was extensively deliberated upon at the last Annual General Meeting held in Lagos in December 2014.

Black Stallions 7s at the CAR 7s 2014 held in Zimbabwe

“We don’t want to attend international engagement with different squads. We are going to focus on a mix of the home and foreign players, we will keep a pool of around sixty players who will periodically practice together and the national team will be selected from this pool.