Nigeria’s quest to feature in the 2024 Olympic Games rugby event slated to hold in Paris, France will begin on September 16 with the national team, the Black Stallions facing Kenya, Zambia And Namibia in the Africa qualifiers in Zimbabwe.
The Black Stallions were paired to face the trio following the draw for the fixtures released by the Rugby Afrique for the tournament on Friday.
The two-day qualifiers will hold from 16th through 17th September, 2023
Nigeria has been placed in a dicey pool as the team bids to qualify for its first Olympics in history.
The Black Stallions will have their hands full when they take on one of the strongest powerhouses in African Rugby, Shujas of Kenya on the 16th of September before taking on Zambia then the Welwitschias of Namibia
Nigeria finished second at the pre Olympic qualifiers in Mauritius earlier in the year where they lost to Algeria in the final
The Black Stallions lost in the final to Algeria 24-5 having defeated Ghana 24 -7 in the opening match before beating Burundi 43 -14 and in the last pool match blew apart Congo 43-0
The Coach Steve Lewis led lads thrashed Botswana 33-5 to qualify for semi final where they met a highly determined Cote D’Ivoire side who also fell to the fire power of the Stallions 20-12
The Kenya rugby Sevens team, fondly called Shujaa, a Swahili word meaning courage, confidence, bravery, or heroism; will be aiming for their third consecutive appearance at the Olympics while Namibia who finished fifth at the last qualifiers will hope to do better this time around just as Zambia, a sleeping giants in African Rugby, will hope to rise from their slumber in a bid to upturn the apple .
Nigeria is hoping to make it to the Olympics after shocking the world in 2014 by qualifying for the Commonwealth games in Glasgow, Scotland with Steve Lewis in charge
