AFRICA CUP, DIVISION 2, SOUTH-EAST

30.06.2015
Congo Kinshasa 29, Rwanda 3 in Kinshasa (Africa Cup 2, South East; Final)

28.06.2015
Rwanda 18 v Congo Kinshasa ‘B’ 8 in Kinshasa (Africa Cup 2, SE; 1^st SF)

Venue: Stade Tata Raphaël

Briefly
Congo Brazzaville pulled out of this tournament as did Burundi. The unstable political situation in Burundi was the cause of the local rugby team from playing whilst it is unknown as to why Congo Brazzaville, whose capital is just across the Congo River from Kinshasa.

Rwanda (Silverbacks)  (just 13 players in this list):
Forwards: Abdoul-Karim Ngango, Jean de Dieu Habimana, Jean Leonard Twizeyimana, Patrick Kazungu, Gerald Niyoneza, Emmanuel Nemeye, Olivier Nikwigize.
Backs: Emmanuel Ikorukwishaka, Ismael Bikamba, Pierre Niyoyita, Ombane Iradukunda, Emmanuel Nduwayezu, Vincent Kamali (Captain).
http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/artic ... 26/190072/

TEST RUGBY IN AFRICA

30.06.2012
Conga Kinshasa v Congo Brazzaville

We can’t be sure this fixture is going ahead as I have not had any replies to my communication attempts with both unions.

This site http://www.fecorugby.com/ has this fixture listed for today but without a venue.

These two teams have met before, twice. I’ve just come across both results this week!

18.01.2009 C.Kinshasa 22-0 in Kinshasa
23.02.2010 C.Kinshasa 37-9 in Brazzaville

On that basis and with little or no information, my prediction is..
Congo Kinshasa by 20 points

RUGBY IN DISTANT PADDOCKS: Congo Kinshasa

The Cameroun Rugby Federation has been assisting with technical development of the game in Central Africa through Pierre Nomo. http://www.fecarugby.org/actualites/3/128.html The link gives the full article as it appears on Cameroun rugby web site. What astonished me was the spread of the game in the Central African republic.

"We must remember that the Congolese Federation of Rugby has 25 years of age. The rugby was there primarily supported by mining companies and when they went bankrupt rugby has somewhat disappeared. And civil war that has gripped the country for several years has not helped matters.
Rugby Congolese being reborn from the ashes mainly north of the country where it was 24 clubs in the city of Kinshasa, in the south there are 1-2 clubs in town including Kolwezi, Lubumbashi, which each carry two LIKASHI clubs.
There are 2 clubs in the East in Maniema Province, as well as Muanda in the province of Bas-Congo.
A total of nearly 45 clubs throughout the country and trying to work somehow, despite the lack of funds.
On the technical level of play is average and there is plenty to do. The first generation is aging and the Federation is working to form the new, younger in order to align it with modern techniques of the game."

45 clubs!! Amazing. Sadly the Congo Republic were due to play in Kigali, Rwanda, along with the host nation and Burundi, but did not turn up. It would have been the Congo's international rugby debut.

Training session in Kinshasa. Image thanks to http://www.fecarugby.org/actualites/3/128.html

The Cameroun is also working, according to the article, on the game in neighbouring Gabon, with the aim of forming a federation there, and for Gabon to eventually being admitted to CAR