“Friends of Rugby” over the weekend in Lagos rolled out their program of activities for the 2010 Rugby Season with a strong resolve and determination to continue in its genuine Rugby development in Nigeria.

The informal Rugby technocrat & enthusiast body from across the country encouraged themselves from the achievement recorded last year and vowed to continue its program towards taking the game of Rugby to the next level in the country.

According to the Secretary of the group, Mr. Ntiense Williams, “We will kick-off the 2010 Rugby Season very early in February with the Rakia 10-A-Side Rugby Tournament which was postponed from last year. This will be followed by the Easter 7-A-Side Rugby Tournament over the Easter holidays.”

Said he, “The 2010 Rugby Season will witness the much awaited and talked about Lagos Rugby Union 15-A-Side Rugby League program which will run between May & September. In-between the League program will also feature the traditional North Vs South Rugby Challenge in July, and for the first time in a long time, we will organize the National Rugby League finals to be contested for by the winners of the Northern Rugby League and the Southern Rugby League respectively towards the end of the Season.

According to Williams, who is popularly known as “Mr. Rugby”, “The group is also planning a big Independence Rugby bash to celebrate Nigeria’s 50th Independence!”

Said he, “The 2010 Rugby Season will be rounded off with the Eco II 7-A-Side Rugby Tournament in December.” He went on to state that as an all inclusive group, there will also have something for our Female Rugby players who have made us proud in the past. There will be a National Female Rugby Championship in the second quarter of the 2010 Rugby Season.

“Friends of Rugby” is also looking forward to an invitational Rugby Tournament in Ilorin, Kwara State, and other traditional Rugby Tournaments in the Northern Clubs of Kaduna, Kano, Zaria & Jos Rugby Club respectively.

The South – South & South East axis were also not left out as plans are at an advanced stage to host a mega Rugby Championship in the fast developing and emerging Rugby power house in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the group Mr. Kelechi Mbagwu has further called on the National Sports Commission to expedite efforts towards the reconstitution of the Rugby Federation with an elected Board as required by the International Rugby Board to enable Nigeria Rugby return to the committee of International Rugby Nations in the 2010 Rugby Season.