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Rugby Africa president predicts continent dominance at 2019 World Cup in Japan

Xinhua,May 09, 2018 Adjust font size:

NAIROBI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Rugby Africa president Abdelaziz Bougja believes the continent's representative at the World Cup will not only show up the numbers but also make a serious bid for the trophy.

In a telephone interview with Xinhua, Bougja said Africa's three teams in the 2019 World Cup will raise the profile of the sport in the continent.

Rugby 15s and sevens have become one of the fastest-growing sports and the continental body want to reap rewards from it.

"There is a huge base of popularity in Africa. Last year alone rugby was taught in 22,000 schools and women rugby is now actively taking up to 20 percent in school sports. Our secret is to work hard and reach out to more teams. Make it part of Africa sports. Our hope is to have three African teams at the Japan World Cup in 2019," said Bougja.

In 2002, only six African countries were playing the game, but now Rugby Africa boasts 38 countries.

Out of 105 countries playing rugby competitively, one-third are African countries. The continental body however feels more needs to be done to penetrate countries like Angola, South Sudan, and Sudan.

On Tuesday, Bougja unveiled the Rugby Africa Gold Cup trophy, which is the highest reward for any African rugby player.

The Rugby Africa Gold Cup will kick off in Windhoek, Namibia on June 16. The tournament from June 16 to August 18 will bring together an impressive line-up of rugby players from six countries -- Kenya, Namibia, Morocco, Uganda, Tunisia and Zimbabwe.

The top two sides from the Africa Gold Cup will join South Africa at the Japan World Cup in 2019.

"The Africa Gold Cup is critical to us starting in June with three matches and another in Aug. 15. The winner joins South Africa in Japan and the second team will go through the repecharge, an inter-continental qualifying tournament with teams from Asia and Oceania. But we hope all the three teams will be in Japan," Bougja added.

Rugby Africa is one of the six regional associations affiliated with World Rugby, the international organization governing the Rugby Union and Rugby Sevens.

Rugby Africa unites all of the African countries which play rugby 15s, rugby sevens, and women's rugby.

It organizes the Africa Gold Cup, the qualifying competition for the Rugby World Cup 2019, and Africa Sevens, a qualifying competition for the Olympic Games 2020. Enditem

 

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