Stallions Finish Sixth in African Men’s Sevens Series in Kampala
Oru Leonard
Nigeria’s national rugby sevens team, the Stallions, finished sixth at the African Men’s Sevens Series in Kampala, Uganda, after a spirited campaign that saw them recover from an opening-day setback to secure a higher tournament position.
The Stallions were beaten 19–7 by Tunisia in the fifth-place playoff, bringing their campaign to an end in sixth position — one place better than their pre-tournament ranking.
Nigeria opened the competition with a commanding 26–5 victory over Ghana before suffering a heavy 36–5 defeat to Morocco.
The team responded strongly on the second day, although they were unable to overcome eventual champions Zimbabwe, losing 26–14 in the placement round.
The Stallions then produced one of their most competitive performances of the tournament against Senegal, edging their opponents 25–22 in a closely fought encounter.
The victory earned Nigeria a place in the fifth-place playoff against Tunisia.
Tunisia ultimately prevailed 19–7, with the North Africans displaying greater attacking efficiency and composure. Nigeria, however, continued to battle until the final whistle.
Despite missing out on fifth place, the Stallions’ sixth-place finish represented an improvement on their pre-tournament standing and highlighted the team’s ability to recover from difficult moments during the competition.
Meanwhile, Morocco secured the bronze medal after defeating Zambia 19–17 in a dramatic third-place playoff.
Zambia had appeared set for victory after producing three well-worked tries, but Morocco mounted a late comeback through tries from Adil Achahbar, Youn Ezzemzami and Billal El Khaoulani.
Zimbabwe claimed the championship title after defeating hosts Uganda 26–19 in the Cup Final. Uganda finished as runners-up, while Morocco took bronze.
Nigeria’s Kampala Results
Nigeria 26–5 Ghana
Nigeria 5–36 Morocco
Zimbabwe 26–14 Nigeria
Nigeria 25–22 Senegal
Tunisia 19–7 Nigeria — Fifth-place playoff
Final Standings
Zimbabwe — Champions
Uganda — Runners-up
Morocco — Bronze
Zambia
Tunisia
Nigeria
Senegal
Ghana
For Nigeria, the Kampala campaign adds another chapter to the country’s rugby sevens development, with the Stallions finishing the tournament one place higher than their pre-competition ranking.
(NRFF Media)
