At the inaugural Ronald Chagoury Rugby School 7s Tournament, which was hosted in Lekki by Rugby School Nigeria in collaboration with the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF), the Cowrie RFC Men’s 7s team and the AJ Sharks Women’s 7s team won first place. Nine teams—six men’s and three women’s teams—participated in the one-day event, which provided fans with an exhilarating show of speed, ability, and collaboration on the luxurious Rugby School Nigeria pitch in Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, Lagos. Additionally, the competition provided a vital stage for showcasing up-and-coming local talent and strengthening community involvement in the sport. Cowrie RFC won the inaugural Ronald Chagoury Cup after dominating the men’s final and defeating AJ Sharks 38–0.With a decisive 38-0 victory over Cowrie RFC Women in the women’s division, AJ Sharks Women repaid the favor and demonstrated the quick development of female rugby in Nigeria. “The Ronald Chagoury Cup marks the beginning of a bigger vision — rebuilding domestic rugby culture from the ground up,” said Azeez Ladipo, General Manager of the NRFF and tournament organizer. Our players at home are talented and hungry. We are establishing an organized path for their development through competitions such as these. Next year, as we extend the domestic calendar, there will be more editions,” he said.
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