President Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF), Kelechukwu Mbagwu on Friday said he was excited about the re-admission of rugby as one of the events in the upcoming National Sports Festival (NSF), Edo 2020.
Mbagwu told the NAN in Lagos that the inclusion of the sport after its omission from the last festival in Abuja was a step in the right direction.
“It is a huge step in the right direction for rugby as a sport to be included in the National Sports Festival, howbeit; it was not present in the last edition.
“We are happy for the inclusion and we are hopeful that it will forever be, for the development of the game in Nigeria and for the potential which we can boast about.
“The NSF will serve as an avenue for our senior male and female rugby players across the federation to engage themselves at the national level and also to have new discoveries.
“The inclusion of rugby in the NSF will provide an opportunity for the different state governments to spend their little money to help develop the game and also improve the standard,’’ he said.
Mbagwu told NAN that rugby was gradually taking its shape in Nigeria, after the country received the nod to host the West African Rugby Series (WARS), ably supported by the World Rugby Services Manager.
“So far so good, it is much better in the rugby house with the support we have gotten so far to host the WARS, which was recently confirmed by the World Rugby representative, Steph Neil.
“The hosting right for the WARS has presented the opportunity of revenue generation and the visit of the World Rugby Services Manager has broadened the base for the sport.
