Could Nigeria be as good as Pacific Island team.

A friend of mine, British of Nigerian decent. Loves his rugby, has been playing since he was young said to me today. "Mate, Nigeria could have a great team. If we had all of our exile players we'd be as good as a PI team or Japan!"

Now first off I laughed him off pointing to the fact that Nigeria don’t seem to play in any level of reasonable competition or even appear on the 7's circuit. But then he started named dropping and pointing to players that are very decent player. He pointed to Ayoola Erinle, Topsi Ojo and Joe Ajuwa and some other players whose names escape me. Does anyone else thing that this idea holds and water, as there is a large Nigerian Diaspora in the UK and maybe with the right incentive they might consider playing for the country of their ancestors birth?

Thoughts?

Victor Ubogu, Steve Ojomo, Andy harriman i think also were all of Nigerian backgrounds...so why couldnt they.

Look at Kenya in the 7's. They have some big fellas who can motor!!

I think the African continent has a huge potential in Rugby...and the days of Namibia being the strongest after SA will soon be over...

http://www.confederation-africaine-rugby.com/index.php/en/

Thats the new IRB website for African rugby...

Very interesting... This will take some thinking about...

No way would Nigeria be able to compete with the PI or Japan! The PI have players playing in the top league all over the world and Japan have their own pro league. To say "If we had all of our exile players we'd be as good as a PI team or Japan!" is absolute poppycock - they would get absolutely humped by all four of those teams (over 100 points).

Topsy Ojo is English. Ayoola Erinle is playing in the Championship and looking average and anyway he has been capped by England and so isn't available for Nigeria. Joe Awuja is the only Nigerian player I can think of - he's OK but a Championship wing - not exactly going to win the game for them.

Nigeria have the potential to be OK at Rugby but Football is huge over there and I don't ever see Rugby overhauling it. I doubt Nigeria will make a World Cup in the next 20 years and I doubt they will ever catch the Pacific Islands teams.

The bright hopes for Africa (outside of South Africa) are still Kenya, who have regressed in the 7s recently, and Namibia. I still don't see either them threatening the quarter finals of the World Cup in the near future.

The likely growth areas are USA, Canada, Romania, Georgia and Russia and potentially places like China, India, Germany, Portugal, Spain an some places in South America (Mexico and Uruguay) and Africa (Namibia and Kenya) - this would largely be through 7s at first but hopefully with 15s in the longer term.

I dont know why Nigeria would be comparing themselves to Japan or any of the Pacific island teams when there are about a dozen teams on the African continent alone that would be miles ahead of them.

Killer_B

I have to disagree about namibia. They are in the cup competition in SA...and have about 3 good players...and a distinct lack of population.

Teams like Morocco, Kenya (as you say) and a few others will pass them very soon at the 15 game...

Whilst football dominates the continent, dont be to harsh on the pull that rugby has. Despite what people say...it is growing nicely around the world.

I agree also that after Russia and Georgia...Germany could be the next team to really take up the reigns in Europe. A generally big physical nation...when ever they take something up they are so efficient they become good at it...

No. Next question.

I think they could at 7's, in 15's not a chance

I agree with gowales.... to be decent at 15s you need rugby infrastructure domestically set in place.
If 7s got going in the country they would be very strong quickly quickly though.... they are the most populus nation in Africa and genetically have a perfect build for rugby... big, strong and fast.

The country with little/no international pedigree which has generated the best players is probably Zimbabwe however.

Skinstad, Teichmann, Garvey, David Denton, Max Evans, Thom Evans, Mujati, Beast, Chavhanga, Pocock, Ngyenwa.... and thats just those who have played in the last 10 years or so.

Of those Denton, Evans, Evans (albeit tragically retired), Mujati, Beast, Pocock, Chavhanga and Ngyenwa are all of playing age. Pretty amazing when you come to think of it.. and most of those were schooled in Zimbabwe also i.e. they learnt their trade there.