NRFF invites 43 players to camp for 2024 Africa Cup

Nigeria’s bid for glory at the 2024 Africa Cup XVs (Repechage) scheduled for Tunisia will begin in Abuja with a training camp involving 43 players, the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) has said.

The 2024 Africa Cup XVs (Repechage), will hold in the North African country from December 16 to 23, 2024, and to ensure that Nigeria is represented by a solid team, the NRFF has invited a squad comprising home and oversea-based stars, who will vie for inclusion in the final team.

Among players invited for the Abuja camp are Cowrie RFU’s Onoru-Oyiza Jatto, a centre, who missed the last sevens tournament and 14 foreign-based players, as well as, 29 home-based stars in the squad.

The forwards in the team are Oghenetejiri Ajuchi, a prop, who plays for Barnes RFC, Ford Oladele Ayodele (prop, Richmond RFC), Taiwo Olagunju (prop, Dallas Men’s Rugby), Nelson Eselkhomen (prop, Edo State Rugby), Liberty Enowa (backrow, Delta State Rugby), Quadri Kolawole (prop, Cowrie RFC), Ibrahim Suraj (hooker, Barewa RFC), Otum Julius (hooker, Barewa RFC), Babajide Adekunle Ayomide (lock, Southend Saxons RFC) and Arinze Okemuo (lock, RUMS RFC).

Other forwards in the squad are Frederick Henry-Ajudua (ATL OLD White RFC), Victor Malu (lock, Nigeria Police RFC), David Aniebonam (backrow, Worthing Raiders RFC), Akeem Yusuf (lock, Cowrie RFC), Sunday Bassey (prop, Cowrie RFC), Kolawole Iyinto (prop, Racing RFC), Oluwadara Odunlami (backrow, in between clubs), Azuka Chika (prop, Eco II RFC), Habib Akinkunmi (backrow, Gosar RFC), Tony Ojo David Oluwaseun (prop, Rivers State Rugby) and Blaise Felix, a backrow/lock, who plays for Alberton Rugby Club).

Among the backs in the team are Alex Onyeahasi, a flyhalf), who plays for Clifton RFC, scrumhalf, Isa Omale of Barewa RFC, Jonathan Ilori (centre, Esher RFC), Isaiah Akpovwa (wing/fullback, Blackheath RFC), Gabriel Etim (flyhalf/fullback, Barewa RFC), Monday Omorogieva (fullback/scrumhalf, Racing RFC), Aliu Auwal (wing/fullback, Edo State Rugby), Samuel Akpabio (winger, Barewa RFC), Kiki Stephen Suru (centre/wing, Eco II RFC), Oseni Fawaz (scrumhalf, Eco II RFC), Girigi Joseph (winger, Kwara Dynamite RFC), Benedict Obianuju (centre, Delta State Rugby), Festus Osarobo (centre/winger, Edo State Rugby), Peter Innocent (fullback/centre, Delta State Rugby), Sadam Abubakar (flyhalf/centre, Nigeria Police RFC), Ali Idris (flyhalf/centre, Zaria RFC), Chidera Iheme (centre/fullback, Plateau Tigers RFC), Gbenga Bessan (flyhalf, Kings RFC), Jamiu Ibrahim (scrumhalf, Kwara Dynamite RFC), Matthew Ilube (flyhalf, Old Priorians RFC) and Michael Ayodeji Ogunwole, a centre, who plays for the British Army Rugby Club.

According to the NRFF, the five-day camp will open on December 10, while the team will depart for Tunisia on December 15.