NIGERIA national rugby team, the Black Stallions at the weekend failed to pick the 2016 Rio Olympic ticket, after placing eight at the Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens Olympic Qualifiers championship which took place at the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park, Johannesburg South Africa.

Speaking from the teams Southern Sun Hotel in Johannesburg, coach of the Nigeria rugby side, Fabian Juries, stated that the injuries sustained by five players affected the team’s overall performance at the qualifiers.

“Team captain, Azeez Ladipo, injured his shoulder in the early minutes of the first game and we had to manage him through some matches. Nuhu Samaila, Ike Onwukanjo, Onyinye Onwukanjo, Hafis Ayinla, were also injured leaving us with just one substitute in the last two games,” he said.

Juries explained that the team improved from last year’s outing where they placed 11th, saying there is room for more improvement in the team.