WORLD CUP QUALIFYING: Africa

28.07.2012
Ivory Coast 24, Zambia 18 in Gaborone (WCQ Africa; CAR Division 1C)
Botswana 25, Mauritius 14 in Gaborone (WCQ Africa; CAR Division 1C)

25.07.2012
Ivory Coast 29, Nigeria 17 in Gaborone (WCA Africa; CAR Division 1C)

TEST RUGBY IN AFRICA: WCQ Africa CAR 1C

25.07.2012
Nigeria v Ivory Coast in Gaborone (WCQ Africa; CAR Division 1C)

Venue: University of Botswana Stadium

Referee: Emmanuel Masinki (Botswana)

Preview
What a doings! With the with drawl of Cameroon this competition has been thrown into confusion. What will happen on Saturday if we end up with two winners I’m not to say!

This is Ivory Coast’s first game in this tournament and the first since 2010. They pulled out of test rugby commitments in 2011 due to the civil strife in the country. They were relegated, as a result, to Division 1C from 1B.

These two sides have never met in a rugby test match before.

GWC Rugby rankings do not apply as Ivory Coast does not rank as yet.

IRB Ranking Points
Ivory Coast 47.52, Nigeria 35.29

Prediction: Ivory Coast by 30 points

Teams

Nigeria Squad

Michael Adeniya (Westcombe Park, England)
David Akinluyi (Old Olavians, England)
Emmanuel Akinluyi (Cambridge University, England)
Emmanuel Ayewe (Racing Club) 1984.02.14
James Davies
Olawale Doherty
Eseoghene Enajerow (Warri) 1992.12.22
Udochukwu Eze (Police) 1989.02.13
Nsa Harrison (London Nigerian, England),
Nuhu Ibrahim
Adedoyin Layade (Sedgley Park, England) 1991.10.17
Tiwaloluwa Obisesan (University of Kent, England)
Shola Odele (Kaduna)
Felix Ogbole (Kaduna) 1990.02.21
Temitope Okenla (Old-Midwhitgiftians RFC, England)
Craig Olugbode (Gateshead Thunder RL, England)
Chukwuma Osazuwa
Ali Shelleng (London Nigerian, England)
Ibi Shelleng (London Nigerian, England) 1983.12.03
Ivan Stevenson
Francis Ugwu (Manchester Medics, England)
Inam Jay Udo-Udoma (Blackheath and Ruislip, England)
Ejike Uzoigbe (Worthing, England)
Obi Wilson (Barewa) 1984.09.24
Robert Worrincy (Halifax RL, England)
Samson Yayah

Head Coach: Steven Lewis

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=90132:unknowns-to-take-first-steps-on-the-road-to-the-irb-world-cup&catid=59:home&Itemid=620

Note: Club affiliations TBC

Ivory Coast

Squad list not available

Coaches : Louis Konan and Amman Bile

RUGBY TEST MATCH RESULTS: CAR Division 1C

22.07.2012
Botswana 23, Zambia 15 in Gaborone (WCQ Africa; CAR Division 1C)
Mauritius 26, Nigeria 22 in Gaborone (WCQ Africa; CAR Division 1C)

25.07.2012
Nigeria v Ivory Coast

TEST RUGBY IN AFRICA: CAMEROON PULL OUT

World Cup Qualifying CAR Division 1C.

The problems of 2011 have returned to African test rugby. That is the problem of finance. Cameroon has pulled out of the above tournament. Reasons have not been announced but I’ll put money of finances being the reason. Last year Namibia (1A), Morocco (1A) and Ivory Coast (1B) pulled out of their respective tournaments for similar reasons (Ivory Coast pulled out because of the political chaos and civil war)

The situation is that now we have 5 teams to play over 3 days.

This is today’s draw
Nigeria Vs Mauritius, Botswana Vs Zambia.

Thanks to http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3660&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=570

TEST RUGBY IN AFRICA: CAR Division 1C

 

Revised Agenda. All games to be played at the University of Botswana Stadium.
Local time schedule 12 noon, 2pm, 4pm in the order below.

22 July
Ivory Coast v Nigeria
Mauritius v Cameroon
Botswana v Zambia

25 July
Mauritius v Zambia
Botswana v Nigeria
Ivory Coast v Cameroon

28 July
Ivory Coast v Zambia
Mauritius v Nigeria
Botswana v Cameroon

TEST RUGBY AHEAD: Africa Cup

The focus of world international test rugby zeros in on Africa. Probably the continent with the most potential for rugby expansion, African rugby is fraught with problems.

Travel is difficult, expensive and in some places non-existent. For a continent where most people live in poverty the cost of travel severely hampers international test rugby. Each rugby union has to find some of that money when their national test rugby side is required to travel to a tournament.

Miss management of funds within the unions can be a problem. In recent years the Namibian RU has come under fire from the IRB. Internal civil strife has created problems in Libya and Ivory Coast. Rugby at all levels came to a standstill in both those nations in 2011. For both Namibia and Ivory Coast the resulting absence from African rugby tournaments led to relegation from their respective divisions.

This month African rugby is on international display.The top level of African test rugby is divided into three divisions, 1A, 1B and 1C. There is promotion-relegation between each division.

Division 1A. July 8-14 Host Tunisia. Also-Kenya, Zimbabwe and Uganda

Semi-Finals 10 July
Kenya v Uganda
Tunisia v Zimbabwe

Final and 3rd Place 14 July
The winner holds the Africa Cup for 2012. The loser of playoff 3rd-4th is relegated to CAR Division 1B for 2013.
All matches at Jemmal

Division 1B. July 4-8. Host Madagascar. Also Namibia, Morocco and Senegal.

Semi-Finals 4 July
Madagascar v Morocco
Namibia v Senegal

Final and 3rd Place 8 July
Loser 1 v Loser 2 (Loser eliminated from 2015 RWC)
Winner 1 v Winner 2 (Winner promoted to 2013 Africa Cup)

Division 1C.July 22-28. Host Botswana

Fixtures
22 July 2012: Cameroun v Zambia; Botswana v Ivory Coast; Mauritius v Nigeria
25 July 2012: Ivory Coast v Mauritius; Zambia v Botswana; Nigeria v Cameroun
28 July 2012: Cameroun v Ivory Coast; Mauritius v Zambia; Botswana v Nigeria.