RUGBY IN AFRICA: CAR Division 2, North Finals Day

Mali v Niger in Bamako (CAR Africa Cup Division 2, North, Final)

 

Results to the Final
Mali
v Chad W 32-3
v Ghana W 28-3

Niger
v Mali ‘A’ W 28-3
v Burkino Faso W 12-5

Last Five Encounters
21.07.2010 Niger 6-3 in Niamey (CAR Africa Trophy, Semi-Final)
12.07.2009 Drawn 11-11 in Tsevie (CAR Dev.Trophy, North, Pool A)
25.06.2008 Drawn 3-3 in Accra (CAR Dev. Trophy, North, Pool B)
20.06.2007 Mali 10-6 in Ougadougou (CAR Castel Beer Trophy, North, Pool A)
28.03.2006 Niger 15-0 in Niamey (CAR Castel Beer Trophy, Pool A)

These are all the test matches these two teams have played against each other.

GWC Rugby Rankings
Africa Table-Niger 16th, Mali 17th

Prediction: Niger by 7 points

Teams Not Available

Ghana v Burkino Faso in Bamako (CAR Africa Cup Division 2, North, Playoff 3^rd-4th)

 

Results to The 3rd-4th Playoff
Ghana
v Benin W 16-7
v Mali L 3-28

Burkino Faso
v Togo W 11-6
v Niger L 5-12

Previous Encounters
15.07.2009 Ghana 17-7 in Tsevie (CAR Dev. Trophy, North, Pool B)
27.06.2008 Burkino Faso 9-8 in Accra (CAR Dev. Trophy, North, Pool B)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Africa Table-Ghana 18th, Burkino Faso 19th

Prediction: Ghana by 7 points

Teams Not Available

Mali ‘A’ v Benin in Bamako (CAR Africa Cup Division 2, North, Playoff 5^th-6^th)
 
Results to the 5th-6th Playoff

Mali ‘A’
v Niger L 3-28
v Togo W 14-11

Benin
v Ghana L 7-16
v Chad W 16-11

No Previous Encounters and no GWC Rugby Rankings

Prediction: Mali "’A’ by 7 points

Chad v Togo in Bamako (CAR Africa Cup Division 2, North, Playoff 7^th-8^th)

 

Results to 7th-8th Playoff

Chad
v Mali L 3-32
v Benin L 11-16

Togo
v Burkino Faso L 6-11
v Mali ‘A’ L 11-14

These two teams have never met before. Prior to this tournament, Chad last played test rugby in 2008

GWC Rugby Rankings
Africa Table-Togo 20th, Chad 30th

Prediction: Togo by 7 points

TEST RUGBY: CAR Africa Division 2, North

This tournament is being held in Bamako, Mali

Results From Last Week

Round 1-Mali ‘A’ took the place of Gabon who didn’t show up.
23.07
Niger 28, Mali ‘A’ 3
Mali 32, Chad 3

24.07
Ghana 16, Benin 7
Burkino Faso 11, Togo 6

Round 2
26.07
Mali ‘A’ 14, Togo 11
Benin 16, Chad 11

27.07
Niger 12, Burkino Faso 5
Mali 28, Ghana 3

INTERNATIONAL RUGBY TOURNAMENT: African Rugby

CAR Division 2, North
There has been some mystery as to which teams would turn up to this tournament. Only yesterday was it revealed that Gabon would replace Congo Brazzaville to make up the eight nations participating. We only know for sure the first round, being played over Saturday and Sunday.

Leading up to this tournament Chad were involved in warm-up games. On July 17 Chad 3, defeated French Servicemen 0, in Chad. Prior to that Chad defeated a Cameroun XV 21-5. http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3660&start=165 Chad has not played a test match since 2008.

The venue: Stadium Quezzin, Bamako

Teams Participating
Niger, Mali, Ghana, Burkino Faso, Togo, Benin, Chad, Gabon

Round One
Saturday 23 July
Niger v Gabon in Bamako (CAR Africa Cup Division 2, North)

 

Gabon is making, as far as I am aware, their test debut. They have played games prior to this but I have seen them labelled as ‘Gabon Selection’.

GWC Rugby Rankings do not apply.

Prediction: Niger by 20 points

Mali v Chad in Bamako (CAR Africa Cup Division 2, North)

 
Previous Encounters
29.06.2008 Chad 10-0 in Accra(CAR Dev.Trophy, North, playoff 5th-6th)
18.06.2007 Mali 32-0 in Ouagadougou (CAR Castel Beer Trophy, North, Grp A)
26.03.2006 Mali 12-5 in Niamey (CAR Castel Beer Trophy, North, Grp A)

GWC Rugby Rankings do not apply as Chad has not played a test match since 2008.

Prediction: Mali by 14 points

 

Sunday 24 July-Previewed Tomorrow
Ghana v Benin in Bamako (CAR Africa Cup Division 2, North)
Burkino Faso v Togo in Bamako (CAR Africa Cup Division 2, North)

Test Rugby: CAR Development Trophy Begins

This tournament is being held in the West African republic of Togo. The eight teams are all from within the region.

10.07.2009
Niger v Benin in Lome (Pool A)
Togo v Mali in Lome (Pool A)

11.07.2009
Burkino Faso v Nigeria in Lome (Pool B)
Ghana v Chad in Lome (Pool B)

Niger v Benin
These two teams have never met before.

GWC Rugby Rankings: Africa Table-Does not apply as Benin last played test rugby in 2006.

Prediction: Niger by 40 points

Togo v Mali
Previous Encounter
23.06.2008 Togo 3-0 in Accra (CAR Development Trophy, North B)

GWC Rugby Rankings: Africa Table-Togo 22nd, Mali 24th

Prediction: Togo by 14 points

Burkino Faso v Nigeria
These two teams have never met before

GWC Rugby Rankings: Africa Table-Nigeria 17th, Burkino Faso 20th

Prediction: Nigeria by 21 points.

Ghana v Chad
Previous Encounter
23.06.2008 Ghana 17-8 in Accra (CAR Dev. Trophy, North A)

GWC Rugby Rankings: Africa Table-Ghana 21st, Chad 23rd

Prediction: Ghana by 14 points

2008 A Year of Rugby Part 5

CAR Nations 20th-28th

Benin
Benin did not participate in international rugby in either 2007 and 2008 and thus falls off the ladder.

28th Burundi
Burundi played two matches in 2008, both at home in Bujumbura. The first was against a Belgian Club side made up mainly of Congolese. The Kibubu RFC played in place of the side from Congo who pulled out of the CAR Development Cup, South, Pool A tournament. Burundi went on to lose 5-7 to neighbour Rwanda.

27th Swaziland
Swaziland's only game in 2008 was against Botswana in Gaborone to decide who would move on to the World Cup qualifying matches for Africa. The 7-25 loss eliminated Swaziland.

26th Algeria
Algeria played its first ever international rugby test against Tunisia 'B' in Nabeul. The Algerians won 8-7. They also played club sides in France and look set to enter the CAR competitions soon.

25th Rwanda
Rwanda travelled to Bujumbura to play in the CAR Development Trophy, South, Pool A. They defeated the home side Burundi 7-5. Unfortunately they were unable to play the winner of the other CAR South winner.

24th Mali
Mali played its first international rugby test in 2003. Since then they have failed to make much impression in the local tournaments. in 2008 the team travelled to Accra, Ghana to play in the North Zone, Pool B. All the games were low-scoring affairs, and although they drew 3-3 with Niger they lost their other games.

23rd Chad
Chad first played international rugby in 2006. They won their first ever test match 10-0 against Mali in the CAR Development Trophy Tournament in Accra, Ghana. The Chadians lost their two other games.

22nd-Togo
Togo won two of their three games in the 2007 CAR Castel Beer cup matches in the tournament played in Lagos. They won only one match in this years tournament, thus slipping to 22nd on the African ladder.

21st Ghana
As host of this years CAR Tournament for Africa's minor nations, the Ghanese were expected to do well. They lost to Burkino Faso by one point but it was enough to push them out of the final. They won their other two games comfortably.

20th Burkino Faso
Winners of the CAR Castel Beer Trohpy, North Pool B tournament in 2007, the Fasians were expected to challenge strongly for the title in 2008. They defeated Chad easily in their first game but only just won 9-8 against hosts Ghana in the second. Niger was too strong for them in the final.

For a full list of all the above nations international rugby results go to www.rugbyinternational.net.

Next I will cover Africa from 10th to 19th place