•Nigeria Green Falcons (right)
NTIENSE WILLIAMS, Lagos reporting
Nigeria Green Falcons yesterday defeated Ireland with a 10 points to nil in the hard fought first Semi-final of the Women’s World Rugby League Series in Canada.
The Nigerian side will on Sunday square up against the Fijian Women Rugby League team who demolished their host the Canada Women Rugby League team in the second semi finals at the same venue by 48 point to nil.
On paper, the Canadian team was said to be the favourites especially given the fact that they were expecting some players back from the just concluded Women 15’s Rugby Union World Cup in England last month. However, it is the Fijian women that carried the day against the host Canada.
On Sunday earlier in the day, Ireland will lock horns with host Canada in the 3rd place bronze match, while Nigeria who are almost playing the same style of play with their Fijian counterpart will face each other in a Titanic epoch making encounter for the sole slot to participate at the Rugby League World Cup in Australia next year 2026.
It is of interest to note that both teams are vying to make history by qualifying for their first world cup appearance.
In yesterday’s match, Fedelia Omoghan scored the first Try from a breakdown play in the Ireland’s 10m yard line, while Rachel Iliya intercepted the pass from the Irish player to score the second Try through her blistering 75m solo run.
Yesterday’s game was tough and crunchy for the Green Falcons being their first encounter with a more professional outfit. Umude Blessing needs quick recovery from knock on her knee, while other players will recover as soon as they finish with their Doctor and Physiotherapists sessions.
The Fiji’s women’s rugby league team, known as the Bulikula, has never qualified for the Rugby League World Cup, just like the Green Falcons of Nigeria who are aiming at making history as the first Rugby team from Nigeria to ever qualify for the Rugby League and other Oval Game World Cup.
Meanwhile the Green Falcons and the Nigeria Rugby League Association have received huge encouragement from the Director General of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade, who sent a congratulatory message to the team, for their historic win over Ireland to book a place in the final of the IRL women’s World series in Canada.
The DG said this is the latest milestone in Nigerian sports, as the National Sports Commission, NSC, continues to positively change the narrative across all sports in the country, as it has been witnessed in sports like Taekwondo, Badminton, Cricket, Swimming amongst others.
”I want to specifically commend the management and leadership of the Nigeria Rugby league for all their hard work behind the scene that has cumulated to this big achievement at this year’s World series in Canada by our beautiful ladies.
”This is another testament to the huge and vast talents the country has across the various sports and myself and Mallam Shehu Dikko were brought here by Mr President to ensure we fully harness these talents to their full potentials which is why we are seeing this kind of results,” said Olopade.
He further charged the team to make history when they take on Fiji in the final by becoming the first African team to win the IRL women’s Rugby league World series.
The Nigeria Green Falcons will also create more history at the Terry Fox stadium on Sunday if they win by qualifying for the IRL Rugby League World Cup in 2026. The team not only carry the hope and aspirations of Nigeria, but of Africa as they will be the first African Women Rugby League to ever qualify for the Rugby League World Cup.
