“Friends of Rugby” ended the 2010 Rugby Season on a high note notwithstanding the lingering ban on Nigeria Rugby Football Federation by the world rugby governing body.
According to the spokesperson of the group Mr. Ntiense O. Williams popularly called “Mr. Rugby”, “Friends of Rugby” are greatful to God Almighty for a most successful 2010 Rugby Season which has seen us pick up our passion for the game notwithstanding the fact that Nigeria Rugby Football Federation is still banned by the International Rugby Board as a result of a concession of the board of the Rugby Federation by the National Sports Commission!”
Said he, “We were able to rise above all distractions and administered a most successful 2010 Rugby Season with the following programs to be proud off:
Cape Town 10’s Rugby Tournament
The Season started with the Cowrie Rugby Football Team’s International participation in the Cape Town 10’s International Tournament in South Africa in early February. The team performed creditably well and got to the quarter-finals of the tournament, losing on board room points to the Semi-finals slot on cards offenses.
Rakia 10’s Rugby Tournament
Rakia 10’s Rugby Tournament was the official opener for “Friends of Rugby” 2010 Rugby Season on the domestic scene as 12 Rugby male teams and 4 Invited women’s team slogged it out for honours in the National Championship in the first week of march. The Tournament had Cowrie RFC & Benin girls emerging champions in the male & women’s categories respectively.
Lagos Rugby Union League
The 2010 Lagos Rugby Union League kicked off on the 1st of May with a 6 team format, one up from the previous season. The most successful Lagos Rugby Union League ran for six months ending in a grand finale on October 17, 2010 at the main bowl of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos with Cowrie Rugby Football Club successfully defending their league title in grand style and creating a new National Rugby Union League history of recording a 100% win of all their 10 Rugby League matches throughout the 2010 Lagos Rugby Union League program. The League organizers successfully featured all 30 matches on a centralized venue- the National Institute for Sports pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos from 12noon through to 6pm every fortnight Saturdays.
Independence Rugby Celebrations
“Friends of Rugby” were one of the very few sporting organization to join the entire country in celebrating the nations golden jubilee with a National 7’s Rugby Championship which created another national rugby history with the unprecedented participation from Rugby Clubs around the country and an international Rugby clubside from Ghana in attendance. The Tournament had for the first time 16 Rugby Clubs in attendance and 6 Female teams as well, with Cowrie Rugby Football Club and Benin Rugby Football Club once again emerging the undisputed national champions respectively!
Mike Ukomi Schools Rugby Tournament.
“Friends of Rugby” returned to the “Catch them Young” schools program in November when they successfully hosted the Mike Ukome Schools Rugby Tournament at St. Saviours School Ikoyi Lagos. Toyibat Comprehensive Schools emerged champions in most of the categories.
Dubai 7’s Rugby Tournament
Cowrie Rugby Football Club attended the Emirate Airline Invitational Dubai 7’s Tournament and successfully reached the Quarter-Finals of the Cup event losing to the eventual winners in that category. Unfortunately, the Female team who were preparing for the event could not attend as there was no more slot for them in their category. They have nonetheless being guaranteed of a slot for next year.
Match Official Training Program
“Friends of Rugby” have over the last season decided to invest in its domestic match officials and it ensured that a Match Officials Training Program was carried out by the IRB Educator for Nigeria every Friday evening at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. These individuals eventually coordinated all the 2010 Rugby Season programs and tournaments for the group to the delight of Rugby Stakeholders in the country.
Tri-Regional Rugby Championship & National Rugby League Finals.
“Friends of Rugby” were however disappointed that they could not complete their scheduled program for the 2010 Rugby season, as the Tri-Regional Rugby Championship & the National Rugby Union League finals between Cowrie RFC & Kaduna RFC was suspended to make room for a much important national rugby stakeholders meeting.
National Stakeholders Rugby Meeting.
The present lingering controversial crisis affecting the concession board of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation which resulted in their ban and declared unrecognized by the International Rugby Board was brought to the fore when the President & CEO of the Nigeria Rugby Federation misinformed Nigerian that the ban was lifted, but this was immediately refuted by the President of the Confederation of African Rugby in a nationwide radio broadcast which further brought the country into international embarrassment! (Thanks to investigative & balanced broadcast by Brila fm)
The Nigeria Rugby Stakeholders therefore met to find out the way forward towards resolving this lingering crisis which has affected the game in the country adversely. The meeting was well attended with 26 Rugby Stakeholders in attendance and eventually cast a vote in support of the IRB directive for a democratic elections to be conducted by Rugby Stakeholders in Nigeria by the end of February 2011.
It is expected that once the election is conducted by the rugby stakeholders, and this position is formally communicated to the sports world governing body, that the ban will be lifted for Nigeria to be fully re-integrated into the committee of rugby playing nations in the world!
Cowrie Rugby FC & Benin Rugby FC Adjudged Most Successful Clubs
Meanwhile, Cowrie Rugby Football Club & Benin Rugby Football Club have been adjudged the most successful teams of the 2010 rugby season, by winning all the tournaments that they participated in the domestic arena in the outgoing season!
“Friends of Rugby” have further promised a most memorable rugby season for Nigerians come the 2011 rugby season!
Issued by
This Communique was released by Ntiense O. Williams
Secretary
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