Herbert Mensah, the Rugby Africa president, in an end of the year message at the conclusion of the Rugby Africa Cup Repechage Pool A tournament in Monastir, Tunisia called for a major change in the mindset to move African rugby to the next chapter.

“I will continue to call for major mind-set changes from within so that we can drive the need externally,” Mensah stated in a press release. To expound, the RA boss believed it was possible to have ‘rugby for all’ if at some point “we get a major mind set change, we row the boat together at the same time in the same direction and we collectively realign important relationships!”

The tournament in Monastir, won by hosts Tunisia brought down the curtain on a busy schedule that saw various tournaments organized in many regions and countries. Tunisia and Morocco will square it off on a date to be determined with the winner clinching a ticket to the Rugby World Cup qualifier to be hosted in Kampala, Uganda in 2025. Most importantly, North Africa shall be represented at the qualifier in Kampala.

Extraordinary year

Mensah followed up on the theme for a change in mindset by acknowledging an extraordinary year where many firsts were achieved especially with the 7s rugby making its maiden appearance at the All Africa Games in his home country, Ghana in May. 

For complete growth, sports which is big business must be matched by financial support and partnerships. Plans need to be modified, examined, re-established and the bar raised (not lowered, Mensah affirmed.

Briefly, Rugby Africa, in close collaboration with World Rugby managed to strike good relationships with the governments in Ghana, Uganda and Morocco who hosted major tournaments. Similarly, various rugby union presidents in Uganda, Morocco, Mauritius and Ghana embraced and worked to raise funding and involve their various governments that resulted in high quality and expanded competitions.

Top billing

The tournament in Tunisia also lived up to the top billing and provided an insight to the roadmap towards raising the profile of rugby in Africa. But, the organizers also admitted that the development of Rugby in Africa was a work-in-progress despite the emergence of countries like Ghana and Nigeria.

With an aim of ensuring a vibrant competition at all levels such as schools, universities, youth, women, seven’s and 15’s codes, the trajectory requires financial injection. “We are on the right track evidenced by the many tournaments this year. When rugby in Africa wakes up, World Rugby will shake,” one of the Rugby Africa officials predicted.

The goal is to get as many countries as possible to play rugby. Egypt and Lesotho are the newest African countries to be admitted as full members of World Rugby. 

Tunisia beat Zambia

In Monastir, hosts Tunisia beat Zambia 29-7 in the Rugby Africa Cup Repechage Pool A competition while Ghana finished third by beating Nigeria 24-19 to finish third. Earlier in the opening matches, Tunisia overcame Nigeria 34-10 while Zambia edged past Ghana 31-22.

Morocco hosted and won the Pool B tournament in Casablanca. They beat Madagascar 53-37 in the final on November 24. Botswana saw off Cameroon 36-10 in the play off. The opening matches had Madagascar beating Cameroon 33-7 and Morocco overran Botswana 64-0. 

Tunisia and Morocco shall meet in February and the winner shall qualify for the Rugby Africa Cup championship in Kampala, Uganda in 2025. 

Teams that have already qualified for this tournament in Kampala, a Rugby World Cup qualifier are: Algeria, Ivory Coast,  Kenya, Namibia, Senegal, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.