Nigeria Rugby Coach Steve Lewis is hoping to add more local-based players in the national team in the near future as they prepare for the 2024 Olympic pre-qualifying tournament in Mauritius this weekend on June 24 and 25.
The Black Stallions are currently holding a training camp in London with the squad filled with mostly players based in the United Kingdom.
Two home-based players Jatto Onoru-Oyiza of Cowrie RFC and Etim Gabriel John of Barewa RFC, Kano are expected to join the team today after arriving from Nigeria with NRFF General Manager Azeez Ladipo.
Lewis stated that training abroad is the best option for now as Nigeria is just returning to competitive action after getting suspended by World Rugby. The Scotsman however wants training camps to happen in some of the major Nigerian cities.
Lewis also believes the team can improve rapidly despite lack of competitive action and can be among the three teams that will qualify for the Africa Cup Sevens in Zimbabwe in September.
Other countries taking part in the pre-qualifier include Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Mauritius, Cote d’Ivoire, Botswana, Cameroon, Algeria, Lesotho, Senegal and Egypt.
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