2012 MEXICO HWC: SEARCH AND GROOM SET FOR TRIALS

Trials for the Women’s team to represent Nigeria at the 2012 Mexico City Homeless World Cup will kick off across three centres in Lagos.

Ex-Nigerian International Jide Oguntuase and German-born Helen Schönbrodt, who has already arrived Nigeria from Kassel, Germany will co-head the scouting team which includes Fatai Dagama Bisiriyu, Babalola Issah and Sunday Aremu.

The Nigerian team selector Search and Groom youth for development centre announced through the organisation’s Programmes Officer, Lovette Ochicha.

The three-week trial train will kick off with the community tour stage in Ijora white sand on Wednesday 18^th July 2012, going through Agege and Ikorodu and to be rounded up with a 15-man extensive training programme at the Astroturf, Osborne, Ikoyi. Lagos.

Ten players selected during the Community tour trials held between 18^th July and 3^rd August will be joined by five players from Calabar, Cross River state; scouted during the implementation of the 2011Community Connects Cup, for a final selection of 8 girls that will represent Nigeria at the 2012 Homeless World Cup in Mexico City.

This year’s programme has a robust educational input tagged “PlayGreen”, an environmental awareness course outline and implemented in cooperation with Heinrich Boll Foundation Nigeria.

The Homeless World Cup is an annual World street soccer championship that highlights the positive power of sport by creating a unique setting for vulnerable and homeless people.

Nigeria and Sixty Nine other nations, including Host Mexico, defending Champions Scotland, 2-time champions Italy, Brazil, Argentina, England, Australia, South Africa, and Ghana will converge on a specially constructed 5,000 capacity all-seated Street Soccer Stadium at the historical Plaza de la Constitución, México City, between 6 – 14 October 2012.

A 2009 UEFA fair play award and outstanding display of sportsmanship in previous editions remains one of the indelible marks of the Nigerian team.

Portuguese player, BEBE of Manchester United is a recent example of many players who have gone on to become pro or semi-pro players.

The HWC is recognized and supported by the United Nations as one of the outlets for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, in close co-operation with UEFA.

Story from Yomi Kuku

Exec. Dir. Search and Groom Youth for Development Centre

Cowrie RFC maintain unbeaten run

The first half of the on going 2012 “Friends of Rugby” Lagos Rugby Union League have being concluded with the fifth week league matches played at the Main Bowl of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos from 12 noon through to 6:30pm.

Defending Champions Cowrie Rugby Football Club maintained their unbeaten run with an overwhelming defeat of 74 points to nil over a highly depleted Young Lions Rugby Football squad in the second match of the day by 2:15pm.

Meanwhile, Lagos Rugby Football Club jumped to 3^rd position displacing Ilorin Rugby Football Club as they defeated Gosar Rugby Football Club by 15 points to nil in a crunchy opening encounter at 12:30pm.

The Police Rugby team maintained their second position on the table with their forth win of the season when they defeated a hard fighting Ilorin Rugby football team by 17 points to nil in the last & star match of the day at 4:15pm.

With the last match of the first half of the Lagos Rugby League played, Defending Champions Cowrie Rugby Football Club is still toping the table with 28 points. Police Rugby Football Club closely follows them with 20 points, while Lagos Rugby Football Club jumped to 3^rd position with 17 points. Ilorin Rugby Football Club is in 4^th position with 12 points while Gosar Rugby Football Club is in Fifth position with 5 points. Young Lions Rugby Football club is yet to secure a point on the table, but are very hopeful in the second half of the 2012 Lagos Rugby Union League program.

RESULTS OF FORTH WEEK

LAGOS – 15 Vs 0 – GOSAR

COWRIE - 74 Vs 0 - YOUNG LIONS

POLICE – 17 Vs 0 - ILORIN

·               TABLE

·               TEAMS       P      W     D    L   PF   PA   PD    PTS

·               COWRIE     5       5      -    -    187    21   166    28

·               POLICE       5       4      -    1    85    18     67     20

·               LAGOS       5       3      -    2    74     34     40    17

·               ILORIN        5       2      -    3    75     58     17    12 

·               GOSAR        5       1      -    4    29   102  (-73)  05

·               Y. LIONS      5      -       -     5     0    188 (-188)   -  

HIGHEST POINTS SCORER

A total of 106 points was scored in the fifth matches of the ongoing 2012 Lagos Rugby Union League program played over the weekend, being above double of the total points scored in the forth weeks encounter.

HIGHEST POINT SCORER

The highest points table in the ongoing Lagos Rugby Union League have changed with Azezz Ladipo of Cowrie RFC jumping up to first position with 31 points. Ilorin Rugby Football Club Ibitaye Ifeoluwa is closely following in second position with 29 points. He is followed by John Sylvanus of Cowrie RFC with 20 points, whilst five others namely Tunji Odutan & John Olawale of Cowrie RFC &, Habib Ishola of Police, and Solomon Cockere of Lagos RFC are all on 15 points respectively.  Policeman Sulymon Oyebola has 13 points. The duo of Yahaya Samson of Police & Stephen James of Lagos Rugby FC are having 12 points each, while 11 other players have 10 points each.

Meanwhile a total of 46 players have scored some points in the first half of the ongoing 2012 Lagos Rugby Union League as listed below.

HIGHEST POINTS SCORER TABLE

NAMES -                                   CLUB -             POINTS

1. AZEEZ LADIPO                -  COWRIE   = 31 POINTS

2. IBITAYE IFEOLUWA        -  ILORIN     = 29 POINTS

3. JOHN SYLVANUS           – COWRIE   = 20 POINTS

4. HABIB ISHOLA                – POLICE     = 15 POINTS

5. TUNJI ODUTAN                -  COWRIE  =  15 POINTS

6. SOLOMON COCKERE       - LAGOS    =  15 POINTS

7. JOHN OLAWALE              - COWRIE   =  15 POINTS

8. SIMON JOSEPH               – COWRIE   = 15 POINTS

9. SULAIMON OYEBOLA      - POLICE    = 13 POINTS

10. CLEMENT DENIS             - COWRIE  =   13 POINTS

11. YAHAHYA SAMSON        -POLICE     = 12 POINTS *

12. STEVEN JAMES               -  LAGOS    =  12 POINTS *

13. COKER MORAKINYO       – LAGOS    =  10 POINTS

14. WASIU AYANGBEMI       –  COWRIE   = 10 POINTS

15. ABUBAKAR TAHIRU        - POLICE     = 10 POINTS

16. FRANK ADEDEJI              - COWRIE    =  10 POINTS 

17. STEPHEN ADEYEMI         – ILORIN     = 10 POINTS

18. TUNJI FASIMOYE             - COWRIE  = 10 POINTS

19. CHUKA                               - GOSAR   = 10 POINTS

20. HAFIS ANYILA                    - COWRIE  = 10 POINTS *

21. ADEBOMBO ADEREMI    – COWRIE   = 10 POINTS

22. OLAWALE DIPO                 - COWRIE   =  10 POINTS

23. JOJO JAFAR                      - COWRIE   =   10 POINTS

24. AKPAM                              – LAGOS     =   7 POINTS

25. MUYIDEEN MUBARAQ     - ILORIN     =   7 POINTS

26. LANRE FAMIMI                  - ILORIN     =   6 POINTS

27. BIODUN                              - COWRIE  =   5 POINTS

28.OLA MUYIWA                     - POLICE     =   5 POINTS

29. AKIN BIODUN                   – LAGOS     =   5 POINTS

30. TALEEB ADEYEMI           – LAGOS      =  5 POINTS

31. STEVEN AKPANWA         - POLICE     =   5 POINTS *

32. ADETUNJI DANIEL            - ILORIN     =   5 POINTS

33. HABEEB ISSIAKA              - ILORIN    =   5 POINTS

34. EMMANUEL AYEWE         -  PLOICE   =   5 POINTS

35. JOHN KURA                       -  LAGOS    =  5 POINTS

36. EMEKA AJONYE                - GOSAR    =   5 POINTS

37. CHRISTIAN OKOJI              -ILORIN       =  5 POINTS

38. FELIX SALAMI                    - GOSAR      =  5 POINTS

39. ADEBAYO T.                      – POLICE      =  5 POINTS

40. ISAAC BAYAKIDA              - LAGOS       =  5 POINTS

41. SODIK AKANMI                   - GOSAR      = 5 POINTS

42. ISMAILA JIMOH                   - ILORIN       = 5 POINTS

43. HUHAMED SALISU             - LAGOS       = 5 POINTS *

44. MOSES THOMOS                -COWRIE      = 5 POINTS

45. SAMSON OKORO                - GOSAR      = 2 POINTS

46. PATRICK MBAMARA           - GOSAR     = 2 POINTS

The Lagos Rugby Union League will go on a short break to resume the second half in a month’s time, at the main bowl of the national stadium, Surulere, lagos from 12 noon through to 6 pm with three matches at the same venue.

Admission is free. 

Courtesy Ntiensi Williams