Burkina Faso beats Nigeria to World Cup qualifiers’ hosting right

• Black Stallions open camp May 24 ahead battles with Cameroun, Burundi, others 
Burkina Faso has beaten Nigeria to the hosting right for the Rugby Africa Cup elimination and repechage qualifiers for the 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifiers, which is slated to hold from June 5 to 13. 

Rugby Africa in its latest calendar sent to the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF), the country’s men’s team (Black Stallions) will return to the international scene in Ouagadougou in June after missing competitive action due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected the sporting calendar globally in 2020. 

France will host the Rugby World Cup in 2023.

Nigeria will compete with Burkina Faso, Burundi and Cameroun in a round robin format in the fight for a place in the second phase of Rugby Africa Cup Pool D in July.
 
Black Stallions will begin their campaign for a World Cup ticket with an opening fixture against Burundi on June 5, while host Burkina Faso will engage Cameroun in the second match of the day.

Four days later on June 9, the Nigerian team will battle West African neighbours, and host Burkina Faso, for points ahead of their final game against Cameroun on June 13.

Burkina Faso and Burundi will square up against each other also in the last game.
The tournament winner will qualify for a spot in Pool D, which already has host Tunisia and Zimbabwe.
 
The Black Stallions are expected to begin camping on May 24, in Lagos where a 31-man team will be announced.

Black Stallions’ South African coach, Bronson Weir, is expected to select an outstanding team at the repecharge, which, incidentally, will see the national team donning their new BLK kits for the first time.