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Pictures from the tournament, road to Paris Olympics qualifiers in Pretoria South Africa.

NHM Women at the Series IV, Asaba

National hockey super league here we come starting from 28/7/2023 wish us injury free games (venue national hockey stadium package B Abuja)

EWULU U13 GROWING SEED RUGBY HEROES PIPPED AT THE POST AT IBUDO RUGBY TOURNAMENT

When the Growing Seed rugby team of under 13’s come to Lagos, the Ewulu village lions roar.

Growing Seed under 13s heroes were undefeated in their first ever visit to Lagos, at the Grange School rugby tournament on 10th June in Ikeja, beating Corona School Agbara, 15-0 and Temple School 10-0.

Based upon their performance, Growing Seed under 13 rugby team were invited to enter the thrilling inaugural Ibudó Rugby Association Lagos schools 9 aside tournament at CMS Grammar School Bariga.

The most impressive U13 teams on the day were Dorcas and the Growing Seed invitational team from Delta State and Ewulu village whose schools do not have sporting facilities and where the parents and communities are very proud of their children’s achievements.

The Growing Seed Friends Foundation’s vision is to promote transformational community leadership through their rugby and farming programme. At Ukome Farm, Ewulu, Growing Seed implements an organic certification scheme. This conserves the environment and takes care of the soil on their 21 hectares. They grow nutritious healthy food for the community and plan a future community farming export scheme. The organic operation is a panacea for climate change, farming God’s way.

Mr Emeka Ukome, Director of Growing Seed, works closely with local schools at Ewulu, promoting rugby, and seeking sponsorship to support their five and ten year community development plans. They are developing an architect's brief to design and build an integrated rugby club and world-class sports facility. This will act as HQ to manage a local village rugby league under the umbrella of growing Seed and a venue for visiting teams. Also, they plan to build an international organic farm research institute, with academic international specialist knowledge. This combined 4 hectare facility will be provided with a solar/wind turbine and electrical battery storage with satellite communications. This will project the Ewulu village community as an international hub of excellence and flagship for Nigeria.

Each child who participates in the Growing Seed programme is given the opportunity to flourish in sport. Mr Ukome is passionate in emphasizing the importance to children of education which is a catalyst for their participation in rugby.

So keen are the children at Growing Seed in playing rugby, that they exhibit a heart-felt passion, displaying natural talent and a shrewd grasp of the game. They look proud and smart in their sponsored kit. The requirement for the Ibudó tournament was that teams entering the U13s category were required to field a minimum of 2 girls.

The Growing Seed team fielded young MARVELLOUS OLISAMA who is only 10 years old and the youngest Lion in the competition. But one inspiring Growing Seed Lioness was a young lady, SOMOTO ONOCHIE, aged 11, who was arguably the quickest player on the pitch and instrumental in the Growing Seed team’s amazing performance and success.

In the tournament the Dorcas and Growing Seed teams topped their pools facing stiff opposition in closely contested semi-finals. Eventually meeting each other in the finals, it was a try-less match at full time with neither team able to break through the opposition’s defence. This resulted in a sudden death extra time play off, with an additional twist. A player was removed from the field from each team every 30 seconds until someone scored. Dorcas Memorial managed to come out on top and clinch the title with only 3 players remaining in each team.

Growing Seed congratulates Dorcas Academy and the Ibudó Rugby Association for the opportunity to participate. Growing Seed will hold their sponsored tournament at Ewulu in December to which schools in Lagos will be invited.

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"MR RUGBY" TUTORED EDO FEMALE RUGBY TEAM MADE HISTORY AT THE 1ST NATIONAL WOMEN RUGBY TOURNAMENT.

The Edo State Female Rugby Team led by Head Coach Ntiense Williams popularly known as "Mr Rugby" in Nigeria made history over the weekend by winning the 1st National Women's Rugby Tournament held at the Main Bowl of the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba the Delta State Capital from Thursday 15 to Monday 17 July 2023.

The Mr Williams assembled team which was supported by his able Assistants Coaches namely Mr Jeremiah Igbuwe & Mr Emeka Matthew beat all comers at the Championship to lift the coveted beautiful floating trophy sponsored by the Delta State Government, and supported by Buga Win Sports Betting Company, United Planet Media, SYDA and Africa Sports Connect respectively and organized by the Dr Ademola Are led Nigeria Rugby Football Federation.

The Team Edo Female Rugby who looked much smaller to other Teams in attendance, were compensated with their well drilled technics, passion, poise and strength of character like a dynamite. They took on every team that came their way and defeated them all from different regions of the Country.

But what was more interesting was the fact that they did not just beat their opponents, but they also ensured that they played all their games without any opponent scoring a Try or a Point on their result. Thus emerging as the first Rugby Female Team to complete a Tournament without conceding any Try or Points in history.

This feat was made possible in all weather which they played in and by all opponents who could only threaten but couldn't go pass the fortified impenetrable defence wall of the team.

They all played as a unit, less complains on the pitch and serious concentration on their goal, which was to re-establish their supremacy from the last 2020 National Sports Festival where they also won the gold at home. This time around, it was sweeter as it was in their arch rivals Delta's home and in front of their aggressive crowd.

Team Edo was well coordinated by infield captain and playmaker Augusta Mene who also was the team Kicker. She sure that the game flowed smoothly once in possession of the ball and marshalled an impenetrable defence line.

Diminutive Attacking Center Becky Oktikpi was a terror throughout the Tournament with her thrilling evasive runs and precise tackles which earned her the MVP and the Highest Try Scorer with 9 Trys (Goals) and lifting the Trophy and Awards.

The Benin City Babes scored 3 un-replied Trys by Becky Oktikpi, Precious Ukwuoma, and Chinaza ABBAH, while Playmaker Augusta Mene got in a Conversion to make the final score 17 Points to Nil. (Try = 5 Points & Conversion = 2 Points)

According to the Head Coach Obong Ntiense Williams, "We are so grateful to God for this huge win and historic record setting achievement. It is a clear statement to the investment put into all sports in Edo State by the Government of Mr Godwin Obaseki and his sports loving Deputy Governor Comrade Philip Shaibu who superintends over the sporting activities as a sportsman himself".

Said he, "You will remember that Rugby last featured at the 2020 National Sports Festival being hosted by Edo State after a long lay off of 11 years. Furthermore, it specially got a waver for the Women Rugby Event which had suffered from the reduction of participating teams due to the COVID Pandemic, but was rescued by the action sports loving Deputy Governor".

According to the Akwa Ibom State born Rugby Aficionado, "This win, clearly confirms to us of a holistic sports development of the Edo State Sports Commission led by the hard working Nigerian Ex-International Athlete Mr Yusuf Ali.

MVP & HIGHEST TRY SCORER - MISS OKTIKPI BECKY (EDO STATE)

MOST PROMISING PLAYER - MISS GODFIRST SAMPSON (LAGOS STATE)

Edo 27 Vs Imo 0
Edo 41 Vs Abia 0
Edo 15 Vs Delta B 0
Edo 27 Vs BENUE 0
Edo 24 Vs Delta A 0 5
EDO. 17 Vs GOSAR RFC. 0

* Played 6 Matches and won all Six comfortably.

* Highest Scoring Team
Edo 41 Vs Abia 0

* Highest Total Points of the Tournament = 151 Points tally.

* 27 Trys and 8 Conversions

* No POINTS AGAINST! - This is a HISTORIC RECORD.

1. JOHNSON ADEBIMPE
2. NWANKPA CHIOMA
3. IMOISI ABUOVBO
4. MENE AUGUSTA
5. AKHIHIERO VERA
6. UKWUOMA PRECIOUS
7. ABBAH CHINAZA
8. BAKARA DUPE
9. SUCCESS IYOHA
10.OBADAN IMADE
11.OKTIKPI BECKY
12.PECULIAR ENOGIERY
13.OKORO OSASUMWEN
14.OSABIVWE EHIOROBO

COACHES
1. NTIENSE WILLIAMS
2. JEREMIAH IGBUWE

MATCH OFFICIAL
3. EMEKA MATTHEW
4. TAOFEEK UMORU

5. SECRETARY - LILIET OYEBADE

Issued by

Ntiense Williams
Head Coach
Edo State Rugby Association

More Pictures from BY

Pictures from the Concluded 1st Bayelsa State Sports Festival tagged Prosoerity Unity Games Powered by Access Bank Plc.

Maiden Bayelsa State Sports Festival Ends With Yenagoa LGA Emerging Overall Winners

- Alambo Datonye Fred

After six days of action, the first edition of the Bayelsa State Sport Festival, tagged 'Access Bank Prosperity Unity Games' ended on Friday night with Yenagoa Local Government Area emerging overall winners

Shortly before declaring the Games closed, Governor Douye Diri thanked the sponsors for sponsoring the inaugural Bayelsa State Sports Festival while calling on other corporate bodies to follow suit.

The governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development Daniel Igali, congratulated all the athletes who took part in the inaugural Sports Festival for their exemplary conduct, stressing that the event had unified the youths of Bayelsa State.

On his part, the Director of Sport in the state Sports Council and Co-chairman of the Main Organising Committee for the Festival, Sir Braveman Wodi noted that the aim of the competition had been achieved with discovery of new talents.

Chief Executive Officer of Access Corporation, Herbert Wigwe represented by the Relations Manager of Access Bank, Miebi Flint Kakiri said the financial institution was proud to have sponsored the Fiesta.

Yenagoa LGA were crowned the winners of the first ever Bayelsa State Sport Festival with a total medal haul of 74 comprising 34 gold, 22 silver, 18 bronze, Kolokuma/Opokuma finished second amassing 92 medals: 30 gold, 29 silver, 33 bronze, Nembe LGA came third with 81 medals: 25 gold, 25 silver, 31 bronze.

Southern Ijaw LGA finished in fourth position with 78 medals: 22 gold, 29 silver, 27 bronze, Ekeremor LGA won 66 medals: 21 gold, 24 Silver to place 5th, Brass LGA had 63 medals: 17 gold, 15 silver, 31 bronze to earn 6th spot.

Sagbama LGA got 48 medals, finishing 7th with 9 gold, silver, 24 bronze, as Ogbia LGA were bottom with 44 medals : comprising of 7 gold, 9 silver, 28 bronze .

Over one thousand two hundred athletes from the eight local government areas of the State took part in fourteen sporting events at the spectacle.