Rugby
Ruthless France thump Namibia 96-0
France are on the brink of reaching the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals after claiming their biggest-ever win with a 96-0 victory over Namibia in Pool A.
Damian Penaud scored a hat-trick, while Jonathan Danty, Charles Ollivon and Louis Bielle-Biarry all scored twice.
Antoine Dupont, Thibaud Flament, Baptiste Couilloud and Melvyn Jaminet also crossed before a penalty try took their total tally to 14 in Marseille.
The only French cause for concern was the loss of Dupont to injury.
The hosts’ captain was withdrawn during the second half following a head-on-head tackle by Johan Deysel, whose yellow card was upgraded to a red by the bunker-review system.
France head coach Fabien Galthie’s decision to keep his talisman on the field despite his side’s huge 54-point half-time advantage could be scrutinised if Dupont’s injury keeps him on the sidelines with the knockout stages looming.
Les Blues, who are top of Pool A with three wins from their opening three games, surpassed their previous biggest winning margin of 87-10 against Namibia in their last home World Cup in 2007 and will face Italy in their next fixture on 6 October in Lyon.
Namibia are rooted to the bottom of the table after suffering three heavy defeats, and face a final pool game against Uruguay on 27 September.
Ruthless France peaking at the right time
A much-changed France side overcame Uruguay without overly exerting themselves in their last game, but the Namibians felt the full force of their wrath here.
Heavyweights Dupont, Penaud and Flament were back in the side and they were quickly into their stride at Stade Velodrome.
Dupont showed all of his class to fire a cross-field kick with his right boot for the prolific Penaud to extend his try-scoring run to six consecutive Tests.
Centre Danty marked his return to the side after injury with the second following some neat work from Bielle-Biarry close to the touchline before Ollivon rounded off a flowing team move.
Penaud added his second moments later with an inside pass from a line-out move off the training field, before Danty doubled his own tally with a powerful finish from close range.
Simple run-ins for Flament and Dupont followed before the diminutive scrum-half turned provider with a perfectly weighted clip off his left boot for Bielle-Biarry to score without breaking stride.
That try handed France a 54-point lead and their biggest ever half-time advantage, but they were far from finished.
Dupont made way holding his face but it would not affect the outcome on the night as his replacement Couilloud crossed unopposed in the corner.
Penaud secured his hat-trick in the same corner before Namibia, who had been toothless in attack, intercepted a loose French pass and threatened to score their opening try, but Jaminet covered the kick through as France recycled the ball and Bielle-Biarry ran it straight back with interest.
An Ollivon dummy for try number 12 was followed by a neat backs’ move for Jaminet to finish off before a final penalty try ended the rout.
France are among the favourites to lift the Webb Ellis Cup next month and will face tougher challenges than the one posed by Namibia, but their ruthless attack sent a real message to the rest of the runners and riders.
-BBC
The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) has re-elected Dr. Ademola Are as its President, reaffirming confidence in his leadership to drive a new phase of growth and inclusivity for the sport.
The new horsemen on the saddle
The Indoor Sports Hall of Package B at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, buzzed with excitement as delegates, stakeholders, and supporters gathered for the NRFF elections — an event many described as a turning point for Nigerian rugby.
Proceedings began promptly at 9 a.m., and the election process ran smoothly under a cordial and transparent atmosphere. When the votes were tallied, Dr. Are was returned unopposed for another four-year term, drawing applause from delegates who hailed his steady leadership and commitment to development.
In his acceptance speech, the re-elected president expressed gratitude to past leaders and promised to focus on grassroots expansion, institutional partnerships, and stronger national competitions.
“This victory is not mine alone; it belongs to the entire rugby family,” Dr. Are said. “We will continue to work together to ensure that rugby claims its rightful place in Nigeria, Africa, and beyond.”
He described the new board as “a blend of experience, capacity, and passion,” pledging to build on recent progress in coaching and talent development.
“The next four years will be exciting. We’re taking rugby into the NUGA Games, regional leagues, and para-military competitions. With the support of the National Sports Commission, we’ll deepen grassroots growth and strengthen our national teams,” he added.
Iyorhe Grace emerged as Vice President after defeating Mrs. Chinonye Daphey Aliyu by 11 votes to one, while other board members were drawn from all six geopolitical zones, ensuring broad representation.
The elections, widely hailed as peaceful and transparent, ended with cheers and camaraderie — a reflection of the shared resolve to reposition rugby in Nigeria.
With a renewed mandate and an inclusive leadership team, Nigerian rugby appears set for a fresh chapter of stability, innovation, and nationwide growth.
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Brampton, Canada — Nigeria’s women’s Rugby League national team, the Green Falcons, soared into the final of the International Rugby League (IRL) World Series after a commanding 10–0 victory over Ireland at the Terry Fox Stadium in Brampton, Canada.
The victory, which came against the world’s eighth-ranked side, sealed Nigeria’s place in the final and marked another milestone for the fast-rising African champions, currently ranked 17th globally.
Fedelia Omoghan opened the scoring with a hard-fought try late in the first half, though Shondell Akhabue, playing from Australia, narrowly missed the conversion to leave the score at 4–0.
Despite Ireland’s dominance in possession during the second half, Nigeria’s defense held firm. The turning point came when captain Rachael Illya capitalized on a loose ball 65 yards out, sprinting past the Irish defense to score a stunning solo try. Akhabue made no mistake with her second conversion, extending Nigeria’s lead to 10–0 — a scoreline that stood till the final whistle.
An emotional Akhabue described the moment as deeply personal, reflecting on her mixed heritage and pride in representing Nigeria.
“It means so much to the nation itself. You could just tell by our reaction when that final whistle went,” she said. “I’m Australian-based and half Nigerian, but I didn’t realize how much it would mean until that moment. I just broke down in tears — it was overwhelming.”
Team captain Blessing Aladeyelu hailed the result as a defining achievement for Nigerian women’s rugby.
“There’s emotion everywhere — happiness, pain, fatigue, but victory makes it all worth it,” she said. “Beating Ireland is a big deal. They’ve been playing rugby league for decades, long before it was introduced in Nigeria. This win means everything.”
Aladeyelu also praised the unity of the team, which includes players from Australia, Canada, and the UK.
“It wasn’t hard for us to bond because we had one goal — to make Nigeria proud and put our country’s name on the rugby league map,” she added.
Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Rugby League Association, Ade Adebisi, lauded the team’s progress, describing the victory as a symbol of Nigeria’s growing presence in world rugby.
“We’ve just beaten a rugby nation with 30 to 50 years of experience over us,” Adebisi said. “Our ladies have been playing for only about four years, yet look at what they’ve achieved. With more investment and opportunities, Nigeria can be known globally not just for football, but also for rugby.”
The Green Falcons will now face Fiji in the IRL World Series final after the Pacific side thrashed hosts Canada 48–0 in the second semi-final. However, Nigeria will be without key player Blessing Umude, who suffered an injury against Ireland and has been ruled out of the tournament.
The winner of the final will claim the last available spot for the 2026 International Rugby League Women’s World Cup, scheduled to be held in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Nigeria’s Green Falcons already hold the title of Middle East and Africa champions, and their latest triumph has further solidified their reputation as one of the fastest-emerging forces in women’s rugby league.
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Nigeria’s national women’s rugby league team, the Green Falcons, have landed in Canada ahead of their maiden appearance at the International Rugby League (IRL) Women’s World Series 2025. The 19-player squad, captained by Blessing Funmilayo Aladeyelu, touched down in Brampton on Sunday, marking a historic moment for Nigerian rugby.
The Green Falcons will open their campaign on Tuesday, October 21, when they take on Ireland at 3:30 p.m. (local time) at the Terry Fox Stadium in Brampton. Should they win, the Nigerians will face either Fiji or hosts Canada in the semi-final stage.
The final and third-place matches are scheduled for Sunday, October 26, also at Terry Fox Stadium. The championship game will feature the winners of the two opening fixtures.
Nigeria’s qualification for the global series came after their triumph as Middle East and Africa champions. The Falcons defeated Ghana home and away, and overcame Kenya with a win in Lagos and a draw in Nairobi to secure their spot at the global stage.
As part of their preparations, the Green Falcons held a three-week training camp at Alaro City International Rugby Pitch in Lagos, where they played two test matches against the Leopardess of Ghana. They impressed with back-to-back victories, winning the first game 40–0 and the second 24–8 on October 11, demonstrating strong form ahead of the World Series.
The squad features standout players including Success Iyoha, Ukwuoma Endurance, Shondell Akhabue, Innocent Adaeza, Adeola King, Rukayat Akinade, and Fedelia Omoghan, among others. Aminah Oluwabunmi has been listed as the team’s development/injury cover.
The IRL Women’s World Series in Canada represents a major milestone for Nigeria, showcasing the country’s growing presence in global rugby and marking the Green Falcons’ first-ever appearance at a world tournament.
Full Green Falcons Squad:
Success Iyoha; Blessing Funmilayo Aladeyelu (Captain); Ukwuoma Endurance; Umude Blessing; Shondell Akhabue; Innocent Adaeza; Adeola King; Rukayat Akinade; Fedelia Omoghan; Daneyelle Shobanjo; Siobhan Sheerin; Faustina Akeje; Becky Okitikpe; Catherine Akeje; Rachel Iliya; Chinaza Abbah; Vera Pedro; Lauretta Bayere; Abiola Obazuaye and Aminah Oluwabunmi.
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