The Nigerian national rugby team is set to participate in the 2024 Rugby Africa Repechage Pool A tournament in Tunisia, but the team’s head coach, Steve Lewis, has expressed concerns about their preparedness.
In an exclusive chat with Persecondnews, Lewis revealed that the team has only one day to train before the tournament, citing a lack of financial support as a major hindrance to their preparation.
The team will face stiff competition from Zambia, Ghana, and hosts Tunisia in the tournament, scheduled to take place on December 18 and 22 at the Stade Municipal de Jemmal in Jemmal, Tunisia.
Lewis noted that this is the first time in almost a decade that the team will be participating in an international 15-a-side tournament, and they have no history, record, or knowledge of their opponents.
The stakes are high, as the winner of Pool A will secure a spot in the repechage grand finale against Morocco, champions of Pool B.
The grand finale will determine which team advances to the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup in Kampala, Uganda, a tournament that serves as a vital stepping stone in the qualification process for the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup.
The Full Interview:
PSN: How prepared is the Black Stallion ahead of the tournament?
Lewis: This is our first tournament in the 15-aside championship. No history, no record; this is a big challenge, coupled with the fact that we have no knowledge of our opponents.
We just have one day to prepare before the game on Wednesday, so we don’t have time for complicated tactics; we have to make sure the synergy is right and the team is mentally ready for the game.
PSN: How were the 28 players selected for the tournament?
Lewis: The majority of the players are based in Nigeria, some based in Lagos and Kaduna; then we have 8 or 10 players from the United Kingdom and two from the United States of America.
The task ahead is bringing everyone together and giving them a simple game plan ahead of the game on Wednesday.
PSN: Do you watch the home-based players to track their development?
Lewis: It’s difficult to see them play; I have to rely on home-based coach assessments of these players who know them better.
Some of the local games are filmed, so I used that to monitor some players from Kaduna and Lagos. For the foreign players, I coached most of them in 7-a-side and the youth system.
PSN: Has the federation made plans for you to come scout players yourself aside from video evidence?
Lewis: I did live in Nigeria; I am familiar with the people and places, but of late the federation is not in a great place financially. The defunct Sports Ministry didn’t support rugby. We are hopeful that the new Sports Commission will be encouraging towards the growth of the game in Nigeria.
The little financial support doesn’t aid adequate preparation; the most paramount thing for me is to see my players myself and judge them on the go, but the key thing is developing a new cadre of coaches in Nigeria.
PSN: What is the target for the team in Tunisia?
Lewis: We are sportsmen, and we must be competitive in every competition. This is our first game in five years; depending on the results with Tunisia, we have one more game against Zambia or Ghana.
We want to beat Tunisia and then take it from there. We have been successful in the 7-a-side game; this 15-a-side is our first outing. I don’t want to be unrealistic with expectations. I want the players to perform at their best and represent the country well.
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