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Nigeria Rugby: Botswana

31/08/201216/04/2024Mark "Deano" Dean

It’s been a week since I returned to the UK from the Africa Nations Cup with the Nigerian team in Botswana. I’ve had a chance to reflect on what happened and evaluate what was achieved in the two weeks as well as look forward to the next steps for Nigerian rugby.

Team Photo v Mauritius 2012

The Nigerian squad, 24 players selected from players based in Nigeria, South Africa and the UK (and considerably more domestic based players than countries like Italy, Argentina and Samoa), went to Botswana with no track record and sat right at the bottom of the IRB rankings to play three test matches against teams with considerably more experience than them. The last test match played by Nigeria, against Mauritius in 2011, saw Nigeria go down 45-10 to a much superior side and despite producing world class players to the benefit of other nations Nigeria had yet again struggled to make an impact. This year we faced Mauritius again as well as 1995 world cup qualifiers Ivory Coast (41st in IRB rankings) and the hosts Botswana. A difficult challenge but one the team were confident they were up for. The players had come up with a team call: “One Team One Dream” and part of that was the belief that, despite the odds being against them, Nigeria could beat any side in the tournament.

Due to a late withdrawal of Cameroon from the competition the third test match against from Botswana was cancelled as the draw was, most unfortunately, altered to enable the tournament to proceed. I felt at the time and still do now that more transparency is needed when decisions like that, changing a tournament draw, are taken but I also understand that the organisers were in a very awkward position and had to move quickly to make things work. I guess a lot of this is part of African rugby’s learning curve and lessons learnt in Botswana can and should be taken forward to future tournaments.

National Anthem

The first match against Mauritius saw us put early pressure on them but basic errors cost us as they scored two break away tries and raced to a 23-6 lead at halftime. We lost 26-22 but despite the scoreline we showed everyone how far Nigerian rugby had come in 12 months. We outscored them 3 tries to 2 and all of their tries came from our errors and not from their phase play. Our tries came as the result of well worked phases of play and when we got it right they had no answer to our powerful runners. At the end of the game the Mauritius players celebrated but looked more relieved than anything else. I believe we simply ran out of time to make up for our early mistakes and five more minutes would have seen us victorious. Imagine if we had been able to get in a few warm up games rather than having to use the first half to learn how to play together just three days after most of the squad met for the first time.

Before Ivory Coast Game

That, for me, was the kicker – We’d had virtually no preparation time together prior to the tournament and this was something that all the players commented on in their individual debriefs and the management team were painfully aware of. The only way to address this realistically is an increase in funding to enable Nigeria to develop its domestic game, identify overseas players and run regular training camps. In comparison Mauritius had a ten day training camp prior to the tournament and it showed. My honest opinion is that had Nigeria been able to do likewise then we would have won both out test matches and progressed to group 1B next year. The following information shocks everyone I’ve told: We get ZERO funding from the IRB, ZERO funding from the Nigerian government, ZERO funding from the Nigerian Olympic organisation (despite Nigeria having a very realistic chance of qualifying for Rio in 2016) and we don’t have a thriving domestic game to provide funding to a union either. Every penny we spend comes from the generous support of sponsors. Even with CAR paying for flights we have struggled. Unfortunately due to the peculiarities of CAR policy on booking flights we wasted £15,000 on flying players to Lagos from the UK to catch a flight to Botswana via SA rather than the CAR flying them direct (at the same cost to them) and leaving us £15,000 to spend on developing the game in Nigeria and preparation for the team. Personally I intend to continue to lobby for more support from the likes of the IRB. Just a small amount of help would reap dividends for Nigerian rugby. I would sincerely hope they should be able to see that its a worthwhile investment in developing the global game after what has been achieved on a shoe string.

The second test saw us lose to the Ivory Coast 29-17. They boasted players who had played in the 1995 RWC against France, Tonga and Scotland and a settled squad who had played together consistently over the last few years. Again mistakes cost us as they matched our physicality in a way that Mauritius had failed to do. However the fact their loosehead prop, their captain and a world cup veteran, was yellow carded ten minutes into the match for repeatedly failing to bind correctly in the scrum showed dramatic improvements in the Nigerian scrum which continued to put them under pressure throughout the game. Not bad results from one hour long session with the pack by our forwards coach.

Brothers

So what can I take from this tour? I believe that we’ve more than held our own against the other teams in group 1C despite the scorelines. The improvements in performance after very little preparation demonstrate the possibilities if we can get one or maybe two training camps in each year. The players, almost all of whom were amateur, reacted well to the environment and the large step up in standard and with experience will only improve in confidence and ability. Nigeria has always produced exceptional players and with such a vast pool of potential players both domestically and abroad it just requires the infrastructure to thrive. I also realised that we had started tapping into the Nigerian community. Before the match against Ivory Coast I told the players that they weren’t alone and that we’d received 1000s of messages via social media from complete strangers at home voicing their support for their national team. Given the low profile currently of the game in Nigeria this spoke volumes of the work being done behind the scenes to improve the situation. We also had messages of support from England stars such as Topsy Ojo, Ayo Ola Erinle and Ugochukwu Monye. We also had vocal support from young Nigerians in the premiership academy sides in England one of whom tweeted how he’d rather play for Nigeria than England. Players who were injured or not released by clubs to represent Nigeria also sent in messages to the players. Rob Worrincy had just celebrated a cup win with Halifax RL but was constantly messaging us to find out how it was going. One Team One Dream. It’s not just the players in the squad but all the guys who couldn’t be there as well.

Nigerian rugby has finally arrived and the best thing about it is that is still nowhere near achieving its remarkable potential. It’s late to the party; it is still very raw but we’ve finally seen glimpses of what could be. The players believe, I and the rest of the management team have always believed but now others are starting to as well. The human potential in Nigeria itself, 160 million raw athletes, combined with fantastic players living overseas is a rugby phenomena waiting to happen. Next year, particularly if the Africa 1C tournament is hosted in Nigeria, then with the squad we have we could realistically look at going as favourites. Now there is something most people wouldn’t have thought possible if they watched Nigeria lose 45-10 to Mauritius just twelve months ago.

One Team One Dream

We always come back to “One Team One Dream”. When people asked me what it meant they assumed it referred to the 24 players winning two test matches and continuing on a path that might lead to the RWC in England in 2015. It is so much more than that. It is one team. But that team is not just the national team players it is grass roots players in Nigeria, new and old supporters, families, coaches and all those working behind the scenes to drive the game of rugby on in Nigeria. The dream was never about world cup qualification in 2015. That was never the point as it would be too short sighted. The dream is bigger than any competition or player, it’s about the emergence of a thriving rugby community in Nigeria, engaging young and old alike in a passion for the great game itself. These players, who went to Botswana with personal ambitions, also went knowing they were part of something incredible. They were there at the start of the Nigerian rugby journey and it was their responsibility to help create a legacy for Nigeria. To me that is what it really meant and that the dreams and convictions of a handful of players mean that there is now a real chance for Nigerian rugby to take the next step.

As the dust settles and the players reflect on the tournament I hope they are proud of themselves, I know I am incredibly proud of each and every one of them. It wasn’t perfect, our performances weren’t perfect and we have a huge amount of work to do BUT without what happened in Botswana we wouldn’t have the chance to take that next step. It’s a dream, but not one man’s dream. It comes from a deep rooted shared desire and belief. Many of the players told me they know that they will probably not be involved at international level again as we move forward and in a strange way they’re almost proud of that. They know that although their international career has been fleeting it means that there was a shirt there to be pulled on by the next player to represent Nigeria. It means that there is something for players and potential players in Nigeria to aspire to, to look up to and take on-board the values that Rugby imbues. It means that players, like the Watson brothers or the Itoje brothers, can opt for Nigeria knowing that they aren’t taking a huge chance with their international career. They can also be part of something remarkable, a dream that is slowly becoming a reality.

Nigeria Rugby: Dark Horses Or Black Stallions?

28/05/201216/04/2024Mark "Deano" Dean

If you’ve been at any of this season’s early UK rugby 7s tournaments or were fortunate enough to go to the Dubai 7s last December, you might have noticed that the Nigerian national team were in the programme. What you may not know is that last year Nigeria, with less than two days preparation and a squad thrown together at the last minute, managed to finish third in an IRB rugby sevens tournament in Morocco.

Nigeria At Marrakesh 7s 2011

You also might not know that there have been Nigerian players competing at the very top level for the last four decades. When you hear the names of such rugby luminaries as Steve Ojomo, Adedayo Adebayo, Victor Ubogu, Ugo Monye, Ayoola Erinle and Martin Offiah, you realise that the previous lack of international rugby in Nigeria has meant that exceptional Nigerian players have had to opt to play for other nations to fulfil their potential.

You might ask yourself “why is the Nigerian national team playing over in the UK?” The main reason is that most of the top class players eligible for Nigeria live in the UK. The Nigerian Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) currently has 14 clubs playing in Nigeria, giving it a remarkably small pool of players to draw from. In contrast, there are hundreds of clubs in London alone, most of whom have at least a Nigerian winger. The UK has traditionally been home to a large ex-pat Nigerian community and it made sense for the NRFF to tap into this player pool and include them in the national squad where possible. This was a huge step forward for Nigerian rugby as it meant that players like David Akinluyi (Northampton, Cambridge and Esher) and Joseph Mbu (London Wasps and Birmingham Bees) could realistically opt to play for Nigeria. Nigeria are, of course, not the first nation to have utilised large numbers of eligible players based overseas; Argentina, Tonga, Morocco and Samoa have been predominantly made up of players who ply their trade outside their countries’ domestic leagues. David Akinluyi had actually been training with the England 7s squad prior to this development; his decision to play for Nigeria, based on the progress made by the NRFF, is certainly a coup for Nigerian rugby.

Nigeria At The Bury St Edmunds 7s 2012

At the IRB & Confederation Africaine Rugby (CAR) tournament in Marrakesh the NRFF were refused entry Visas by Morocco. This prevented any home grown players flying over from Nigeria to play in the tournament. The only way to compete was to bring a totally different squad out from the UK. Luckily, we found eleven players who could get the time off work and flew to Morocco the next day. Nigeria (ranked
5th from bottom in the world rankings) achieved a 3rd place finish, beating Senegal (ranked circa 53rd), Ivory Coast (ranked circa 46th) and Burkino Faso. They only lost to Morocco and Tunisia – both of whom have extensive experience as guest teams on the IRB World Series – who went on to contest the final. To put this in football parlance imagine East Timor beating Ukraine, Belgium and Wales at a FIFA ranking tournament.

One team one dream

Such an achievement is even more impressive as everybody involved is a volunteer. From the head physio, Emma Mark, to the coaching team of Steve Lewis, Joseph Mbu and Martin Olima; everybody is committed to Nigerian rugby development and give their own time and effort to make it happen. But it’s not just those directly involved with the NRFF who are instrumental in the team’s progress. Without the support of the likes of Andy “Boyo” Howells (HFW Wailers), Adam Hurst (Apache) and Terry Sands (Samurai 7s), who help identify and give grass time to Nigerian players like James Doherty and the Ajuwa & Akinluyi brothers, the team would struggle for top level experience. Without Samurai Sportswear donating a kit for this summer, Nigeria, who have no IRB funding or Sponsor, would not have had a playing kit. This was the first time Nigeria actually had their own kit; previously using old regional kits from Nigeria. Having their own national rugby kit was a big deal! The pride on the players’ faces when they pulled on their nation’s playing kit at Bury is something I won’t forget.

So what next for Nigerian Rugby? It’s a full year; looking at prospective players in rugby 7s tournaments in Nigeria and the UK, and the two IRB competitions being run by CAR. It seems incredible that Nigeria will be participating in two IRB tournaments:

• The African Cup in Botswana for the 15s team (July);
• IRB + CAB tournament in Morocco for the 7s team (September).

The 15s will play three full international test matches against Mauritius, Cameroon and Botswana. A large number of newly capped players will come from the UK. If the team fulfil even some of its potential, they will have the opportunity in 2014 to play for the honour of participating in the RWC in England in 2015. Nobody involved with the NRFF believes that this is anything other than a long shot but, for the first time, they don’t believe it is impossible either. For the short game, the chance of making a RWC is even greater having just one tournament to go for qualification. At the end of September this year the Nigerian 7s team travel to Morocco to see if they can better the performance that saw them finish 3rd last year and qualify for the Rugby World Cup 7s in Russia in 2013. They will be up against teams like Morocco, Tunisia, Zimbabwe and Namibia all of whom have much more experience, player depth and funding.

Dark horses? Black stallions certainly. It is my belief that, if not in 2013 or 2015, it won’t be long before you see the Nigerian rugby team at a World Cup or participating in the Commonwealth or Olympic Games. Given the fantastic reaction from the rugby community for the Nigerian team, that can only be a good thing for rugby.

Whatever happens next the Nigerian rugby team, and its fantastic friends & supporters, will continue to add to the UK circuit; enriching the rugby scene and acting as ambassadors for their country and the game. I look forward to seeing you around the tournaments and celebrating the great game of rugby – Nigeria style. As you’ll hear from every member of the squad and management team, this progress is all down to one very simple thing: “One team. One dream.”

One final thought: as Nigerian Rugby moves forward to hopefully fulfil its huge potential, the next Ubugo, Ojomo, Monye, Erinle or Adebayo might just opt to play for Nigeria. Wouldn’t that be something for the development of rugby as a truly international sport?

Rugby: Southampton RFC’s Kiwi Adventure ’99

28/08/199902/12/2024Mark "Deano" Dean

There’s something magical about touring New Zealand as a rugby player. It’s like making a pilgrimage to the sport’s spiritual home, where every patch of grass has probably felt the studs of an All Black legend. In the summer of ’99, Southampton University RFC embarked on just such an odyssey, carrying our English hopes (and livers) to the land of the long white cloud.

Our journey began in Dunedin, that southern stronghold of rugby culture. The famous Carisbrook Stadium – the “House of Pain” – loomed before us like a cathedral of the sport. We were there to face Otago U21s, and while the scoreline didn’t go our way, the real story began afterward at the Furry Goblet. It was here that we lost our first man to the legendary Kiwi hospitality. Our prop (who shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) found himself whisked away by a kindly cleaner after falling asleep in the club. The next morning’s tale of waking up to children bouncing on his bed asking “Who are you? you’re not our dad!” and his quick-thinking response of “I’m your Uncle Mike” has become tour legend.

The team wound our way northward through the South Island. Christchurch offered a brief respite before we caught the ferry at Picton, watching the stunning Marlborough Sounds slip by as we crossed the Cook Strait to Wellington.

Rotorua brought us the high point of our rugby campaign with our sole victory, but it was the cultural experiences that truly made this stop special. We were privileged to be guests at a traditional Maori hangi, immersing ourselves in the rich heritage of New Zealand’s indigenous culture. The naturally heated thermal pools provided welcome relief for our battle-worn bodies, the mineral-rich waters working magic on tired muscles.

After the match, we experienced the legendary Kiwi hospitality firsthand when my cousins Amanda and Paul Redley, transplants from the UK, welcomed our entire rabble into their home. There’s something beautifully surreal about thirty muddy rugby players crammed into a house on the other side of the world, devouring massive pots of chili and rice, followed by industrial quantities of ice cream. It was like finding a slice of home 12,000 miles from where we started.

The adrenaline pursuits in Rotorua kept us busy between matches – hurling ourselves down concrete tracks on street luge, spinning ourselves silly in giant hamster balls called Zorbs, and scaring ourselves witless on a massive free-fall bungee swing. The whole time, we were one man down – our missing teammate having been delayed by the charms of a local lady in Dunedin, finally rejoining us with a sheepish grin and several unexplained hickeys.

The adventure continued at Lake Taupo, where we braved the Huka Falls in rafts and raced jet boats through impossibly narrow gorges. Some brave souls (after several confidence-building beverages) even took the plunge with a bungee jump into the crystal-clear river below.

Our final match against Waikato University in Hamilton might have been another loss on paper, but by then, the scorelines had become secondary to the experience. We wrapped up our tour in Auckland, scaling the Sky Tower for one last look across this magnificent country and raising a final toast at Viaduct Quay.

They say that what happens on tour stays on tour, but some stories are too good not to share. Our prop’s “Uncle Mike” saga and our teammate’s romantic detour have become part of Southampton RFC folklore, retold at every reunion with increasing embellishment. But beyond the rugby and the revelry, it was the warmth of the Kiwi people and the raw beauty of their country that left an indelible mark on all of us.

Looking back now, that summer of ’99 feels like a dream – a perfect blend of rugby, adventure, and the kind of mishaps that only seem to happen when you’re young and fearless in a foreign land. To my fellow tourists who shared those unforgettable weeks: here’s to you, to New Zealand, and to “Uncle Mike” – whoever he may really be.

Rugby: Southampton University RFCs South African Adventure 1997

01/10/199702/12/2024Mark "Deano" Dean

If you’ve never experienced the joy of twenty-odd university rugby lads attempting to navigate post-apartheid South Africa with more enthusiasm than brain cells, then pull up a chair and grab a Castle Lager. For the love of Francois Pienaar, this is a tale that needs telling.

The omens for chaos were set early when the coach window decided to make a break for freedom somewhere between the airport and Warmbaths. Thank God for Ben Lowe’s quick hands – probably the most important catch of the tour as he grabbed the escaping window before it could introduce itself to the tarmac at 60mph. Not all heroes wear capes; some just have exceptional reaction times and a healthy fear of being windswept.

Speaking of Warmbaths (now Bela-Bela for those keeping up with modern names), nothing quite prepares you for playing rugby against farm boys who look like they bench press tractors for fun. The natural hot springs were a blessed relief after they’d finished rearranging our skeletal structures. Top tip: when a South African prop forward smiles at you before a scrum, it’s not because he wants to be friends.

The tour took us to Amanzimtoti Rugby Club near Durban, where we discovered that humidity and hangovers go together about as well as our scrumhalf and sobriety. But sweet mercy, did they know how to host a post-match party – their braai and poitjiekos (that’s a traditional stew for the uninitiated) almost made us forget about the beating we’d just received. Almost.

Swellendam Rugby Club introduced us to the concept of homestays and my host Jacques took pre-match hospitality to new heights when he introduced us to Mampoer, a local firewater that makes paint stripper taste like orange squash. The night ended with us hosing him down in his own garden while his long-suffering wife called down from an upstairs window, probably wondering why she’d agreed to host these mad English boys in the first place. The next day’s match was… well, let’s just say nobody was playing at their peak. But we made up for it at the post-match festivities with a full rendition of American Pie – all eight minutes and thirty-two seconds of it, without a phone in sight. Don McLean would have been proud. Or possibly horrified.

The Port Elisabeth Harlequins match deserves its own chapter in rugby folklore – not for the rugby mind you, which was forgettable, but for the moment someone in the crowd decided to wave a gun around. Nothing quite focuses the mind like the sight of a firearm during a line-out. Still, in true rugby spirit, we recovered our composure enough to treat the streets of PE to a walking rendition of Father Abraham on our way back to the hotel. Because nothing says “we’re not fazed by near-death experiences” quite like twenty English lads doing synchronized dance moves through downtown Port Elisabeth.

Cape Town was where it all came together. Led by our fearless captain Rob Allard, we finally managed to put together some half-decent rugby and actually won a game. The squad – featuring the likes of Mark Ruddall, Matt Punch, Alex Ritchie, The Mekon (some nicknames need no explanation), Andy Jackson, and Jez Follett – even dominated in that most crucial of rugby skills: the boat race. Undefeated champions, thank you very much.

While some of the lads headed up Table Mountain (show-offs), others of us found ourselves in the Hard Rock Cafe sharing drinks with the Surrey Cricket Team. There we were, trading stories with the Hollioake brothers, Graham Thorpe, Alec Stewart, and even Carl Lewis, trying not to look too starstruck. Though I’m pretty sure our captain tried to demonstrate a lineout call after his sixth Castle Lager – the cricketers were suitably unimpressed.

Cape Town itself was a city of contrasts – none more striking than the unfinished flyover that just… stopped. Mid-air. Like someone had run out of money halfway through a game of SimCity. It became our running joke of the tour – much like our lineout calls.

For some incredible reason, we managed to blag our way into Newlands Stadium for a tour. Running out onto that hallowed turf, several lads attempted their best Joel Stransky impressions. Let’s just say South African rugby had nothing to fear from our drop-kicking abilities. Though I’m pretty sure our fly-half’s attempt is still orbiting somewhere over Cape Town.

The cultural highlight had to be our visit to KWV winery in Stellenbosch. Nothing says “refined wine tasting” quite like twenty rugby players attempting to use phrases like “subtle bouquet” and “delicate finish” while trying not to neck the samples in one go. The sommelier’s face was an absolute picture, bless her.

At Mabula Game Reserve, our front row forwards on horses looked like a circus act gone wrong, but somehow we managed to avoid becoming lion lunch. The horseback safari guide had the patience of a saint, especially when our loose forward kept shouting “SIMBA!” at every animal he saw.

Looking back now, the rugby scars have faded (mostly), the hangovers are distant memories, and some of us can even look at Castle Lager without wincing. But the memories? They’re as fresh as that first bone-crunching tackle in Warmbaths.

To the Southampton Rugby Class of ’97, wherever you are now: I raise a glass of KWV’s finest to you!

And to South African rugby – thanks for not killing us. We know you could have.