Independence Rugby 7s’ International Flavour Good For Home Based Boys – Fom Pam

The President of the Nigerian Rugby Football Federation, Sir. Edward Fom Pam says the fast approaching CMB Building Maintenance & Investment Company Ltd sporsored Independence Rugby Sevens invitational tournament organised by the Friends of Rugby in conjunction with the federation will positively impact on the standard of the home based players.

“We have our Independence Sevens coming up, slated for October and a lot of international clubs are coming to beef up the competition.”

“Like the Western Province and other clubs coming from UK and across Africa, you know that it will beef up the intensity of your home grown players”

Cowrie RFC Captain Azeez Ladipo Receiving the winner’s Trophy from then Governor of Lagos State Babatunde Fashola

He believes the tournament which will be held between the 23rd and 24th of October at the Onikan stadium featuring foreign clubs like Accra Sharks from Ghana, Western Province of South Africa, Parakou RFC of Republic of Benin, UR7s of Kenya, Panthers International and Merlins Invitational both from the UK will definitely stretch the home based players to the limit and bring out the best in them..

According to the technical committee of the federation, the tournament will be used by the national team handlers to select players to camp ahead of the 2016 Olympics qualifiers coming up in Johannesburg in November.

“We are mixing our grassroots players with our foreign exports also known as Nigerian Exiles ahead of the Olympics qualifiers”.

Defending Champions Cowrie RFC will lead other Nigerian club sides- Barewa RFC, Kaduna RFC, Sabon Geri RFC, Jos RFC, Racing RFC, Police Machines, Gosar RFC, South South 7s and South East 7s to the 2 day competition.

NRFF Announces Slight Adjustment To Independence Rugby Sevens Date

The Nigerian Rugby Football Federation in conjunction with Friends of Rugby have finally announced Friday, 23rd and Saturday, 24th of October as dates for this year’s International Independence Rugby Sevens taking place at the Onikan stadium, Lagos.

According to information made available by the tournament manager, Fasimoye Olatunji, this decision was made after majority of the foreign teams complained about the original date stressing that traveling immediately after the tournament may not be good enough.

Cowrie RFC, winners 2014 Independence 7s

Accra Sharks from Ghana, Western Province of South Africa, Parakou RFC of Republic of Benin, UR7s of Kenya, Panthers International and Merlins Invitational both from the UK are all expected to arrive on Thursday 22nd with all visas related issues already sorted out.

Last year’s winner, Cowrie RFC will lead clubs like Barewa RFC, Kaduna RFC, Sabon Geri RFC, Jos RFC, Racing RFC, Police Machines, Gosar RFC, South South 7s and South East 7s to repel foreign invasion in their quest to retain the title in Nigeria.

Independence 7’s: Hawster Athletics, Racing RFC And Gosar RFC Grab Playoffs Spot

Hawster Athletics, Racing RFC and Gosar RFC booked a place at the fast approaching Independence 7’s tournament alongside last year’s champion Police Machine of Lagos and runner up, Cowrie Rugby Football club who were handed an automatic ticket for the rugby fiesta scheduled for 10th and 11th of October 2014 which promises to be bigger and better with eleven local team and five international teams expected to battle for the trophy, at the Onikan stadium.

Independence 7’s: Hawster Athletics, Racing RFC And Gosar RFC Grab Playoffs Spot

Hawster Athletics and Racing RFC were the first to qualify from the playoffs but still had to battle for supremacy in the final of the playoffs with Hawster crowned the play-off king after a very entertaining and mind blowing match characterized by unprecedented display of pure adrenaline

The aged but experienced Racing RFC could not withstand the youthfulness of Hawster Athletic who tore into them several times with their lightening and blazing speed with the final scores at 14 -10 making it the first time Hawster Athletic recorded a win over Racing RFC.

After a round robin game by six teams divided into 2 groups decided on Sunday 24th 2014 at the Main bowl of the National Stadium, Surulere, Royal Stallions of Ilorin lost their slot in this year’s tournament losing 17-12 to Gosar RFC in the third place match of the playoffs with Gosar RFC which is the most improved club in southwest league giving a good account of themselves.

Speaking after their qualification, the head Coach of Gosar RFC, Gbenga Hammed said
, it was a great honor and achivement to book a place in the most prestigeous sevens tournament in West Africa.

Independence 7’s: Hawster Athletics, Racing RFC And Gosar RFC Grab Playoffs Spot

The former Nigerian international and Captain of the Black Stallions emphasized that his team will immediately hit the gym in their preparation for the 2 day rugby fest as they are determined to win a silverware at this year’s tournament.

Meanwhile, Northern clubs will also battle to claim three slots allocated to the region while South South, South East region and the Capital territory clubs will play for a slot each in the event.

Speaking with journalists after the play-offs, the Technical Director of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation, Fasimoye Olatunji commended all participating teams for their high level of discipline and expressed satisfaction over the standard and performance of the southwest teams while predicting that the trophy is likely to be retained in the zone considering the standard of the matches he witnessed during the playoffs

Judgement Day: As Teams Battle For Limited Independence Rugby 7’s ’ Slot

As the organisers of this year’s independence Rugby 7’s tournament sponsored by CMB Building Maintenance and Investment Co. Ltd have announced Sunday, 24th of August 2014 as the judgment day for teams that are going to participate in the annual rugby event staged to commemorate Nigeria’s Independence anniversary since 2009.

According to the Organisers, the Southwest region has been allotted 5 team slots in which 2013 finalists, Police Machines and Cowrie RFC have been awarded automatic spots at this year’s tournament while the remaining three playoff spots will be contested for between six other teams namely; Lagos RFC, Racing RFC, Gosar RFC, Hawkster Athletic, Eco II and Royal Stallions of Ilorin.

The Play-offs for this Spots will will be held at the main bowl of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos where the pretenders will be separated from contenders.

The playoff became necessary a due to expression of Interests from European, South African and West African teams which will increase this year’s international representation to a level never before witnessed before in the country.

The Friends of Rugby organised event has grown to be the biggest Rugby 7s party in Nigeria with the 2013 edition enjoying a better and wider participation with clubs from the UK, Egypt and Ghana adding the much needed International flavour.

However, clubs from every zone in Nigeria performed extremely well and this culminated in two local teams making into last year’s final which the Police Rugby Football club of Lagos won by beating Cowrie RFC 12-7.

According to the organisers, this year’s edition promises to be bigger and better with eleven local team and five international teams expected to battle for the trophy, at the Onikan stadium between the 10th and 11th of October 2014

Northern clubs will also battle to claim three slots allocated to the region while South South, South East region and the Capital territory clubs will play for a slot each in the event

South-West League: Cowrie Rugby Club Sets New Record As Racing Climb To second on Log…

Captain of Cowrie RFC Azeez Ladipo in Action

Racing Rugby Football club moved up to second on the South-West Rugby Union League table after beating Police Machines in a hard fought match at the Main bowl of the National Stadium on Saturday the 2nd of August 2014.

Their forwards dominated all areas of the park and they remained the dominant force throughout the game.

Racing winger, Imeh Okon raced away in the 20th minute for their first try while Abdul Adeshina went over the line for another try in the second half.

Tunde Olukorede of Gosar RFC delivering a superb tackle to an Hawkster Athletics player

It was not until the second half before Police Machines managed to hold onto the ball long enough to win a penalty which full back, Sulymon Oyebola converted to earn them a consoling 3 points.

Meanwhile, Cowrie Rugby Football Club turned in a record 151-0 points over Eco II RFC. The Defending Champions Cowrie RFC opened the scoring barely 4 minutes on the clock and added much more tries in both halves as they signaled their intent with some ambitious running rugby.

Wing sensation; Christian Ogar scored 4 tries while Onor Jato raced in 2 tries on his league debut. However forward players; Olatunji Oduntan, Emmanuel Chijioke, Samuel Ekpo and Hafis Ayinla are amongst try scorers.

Ekpo Williams of Racing Been rougffled by the Police Maching

Other games saw Hawster Athletics beat Gosar RFC 12- 3 while Lagos Rugby Club (the oldest club in the South-West league) retained their unbeaten run against Royal Stallions of Ilorin with a 15-10 victory.

Christian Ogar and Azeez Ladipo both of Cowrie Rugby Club are on top of the highest try/points chart with 95 and 89 points respesctively. They are being followed closely by Sulymon Oyebola of Police Machines with 71 points.

Christain Ogar of Cowrie on the move

The South-West league continues in a fortnight, thats the 16th August 2014 to be precise.

South-West League Resumes, As Get Into Rugby Programme Kicks Off Skeletal Operations In Nigeria

After a long break, the Southwest league resumes on the 19th of July 2014, the break was due to the involvement of home based players’ in Black Stallion’s participation at the Africa Cup 1C in Gaborone, Botswana.

The National stadium’s main bowl will host four games on Saturday,19th of July with Hawksters RFC facing their harsh rivals Lagos RFC in the first match of the day, Racing RFC will take on defending champions, Cowrie RFC in a must watch game.

Eco II RFC will play against Royal Stallions of Ilorin while Gosar RFC will take on Police Machines in the last match of the day.

Cowrie RFC still retains their slots at the top of the table with 20 point and trailed by Racing RFC by 17 points while ECO II RFC sits at the bottom of the table with 0 point.

SOUTHWEST RUGBY LEAGUE FIXTURES:

Hawksters RFC VS Lagos RFC

Racing RFC VS Cowrie RFC

Eco II RFC VS Royal Stallions

Gosar RFC VS Police Machines

We call on all rugby fan and lovers to come out to the National Stadium and support their teams.

IRB – Get Into Rugby

Get Into Rugby Programme:

Get into Rugby Programme kicks off skeletal operations in Nigeria, Trained GIR Coaches have been sent to schools to administer the program, the program is a central part of the IRB initiative to grow the sport as we rejoin the Olympic Games in Rio 2016.

The aim of the programme is to encourage Children to TRY – PLAY – STAY in Rugby, with a target of recruiting and retaining new players and coaches and referees over the next four years.

The programme will promote the values of the game and ensure children are encouraged to try rugby in safe and progressive way.

We are calling on potential sponsors to partner with us in order to establish the programme fully in Nigeria, already we have over 75 schools registered with this programme nationwide.