Nigeria’s men’s rugby sevens team, the Stallions, have been drawn in a challenging pool alongside continental powerhouse South Africa, hosts Mauritius and Zambia ahead of the 2026 Rugby Africa Sevens Championship scheduled for June 20–21 in Mauritius, Trybal News reports.
The tournament draw sets up a blockbuster encounter between Nigeria and South Africa’s celebrated Blitzboks, one of the most successful teams in international sevens rugby. The clash will headline Pool A as the Stallions look to test themselves against one of the sport’s global heavyweights.
Nigeria will also face hosts Mauritius and Zambia in their bid to secure a place in the knockout stages of the continental championship. The Stallions head into the competition aiming to build on recent progress and challenge some of Africa’s established rugby nations.
A strong performance against South Africa would represent a significant statement from the Nigerian side, which continues to push for greater recognition on the continental stage. The fixture offers the Stallions a valuable opportunity to measure their development against a team that has enjoyed success at both African and world level.
Pool B comprises Ghana, Tunisia, Madagascar and Senegal. Senegal were drafted into the competition after Uganda withdrew from the tournament following concerns linked to an Ebola outbreak. Reports indicated that members of the Ugandan delegation tested positive for the virus, although no players were affected.
Meanwhile, Pool C features Zimbabwe, Kenya, Morocco and Madagascar in what is expected to be another fiercely contested group.
Nigeria will be looking to improve on their seventh-place finish at the previous edition. The Stallions reached the quarter-finals before suffering defeat to Kenya and concluded the tournament with two victories from six matches.
With another opportunity to compete against Africa’s best and a headline-grabbing encounter against South Africa awaiting, the Stallions will be hoping to take another significant step forward in their quest to establish themselves among the continent’s rugby elite.
