The Green Falcons of Nigeria defeated the Leopardess of Ghana 40-0 in the series opener of their two-match international test at the Alaro City Rugby Pitch in Lagos on Tuesday, www.aclsports.com reports.
Unbeaten against Ghana in previous meetings, Nigeria stamped their authority early, surging to a 12-0 halftime lead before running riot in the second half. Tries from Faustina Akeje of Canterbury Bulldogs and Lauretta Bayere of Lagos Bulls, both crossing twice, highlighted a strong attacking display that left the visitors struggled to contain.
Nigeria’s head coach, Luke Shearman, said the match underlined the team’s growth and readiness ahead of the IRL Women’s Rugby League World Series in Canada later this month.
“Today’s game reflected how far we’ve come in a short time,” Shearman said. “We made some errors, but the team showed great resilience and commitment to keep pushing through. Once we found our rhythm, it was rewarding to see the hard work pay off on the field. There’s still plenty to improve before Saturday, but this was a valuable test and an important step forward for the squad.”
Riddick Alibah, who manages the Ghanaian team, applauded his players’ effort and attitude despite the heavy defeat, maintaining belief they can respond in the next game.
“The ladies played with heart and commitment,” Alibah said. “The scoreline didn’t reflect their effort, but it was a good performance overall. Missing some key players was a setback, yet those who stepped in gave everything. We’ll learn from this, build on it, and come back stronger on Saturday.”
The series concludes on Saturday, October 11, in Lagos, before Nigeria heads to Canada to face Ireland on October 21 in the World Series semi-final. The winner will advance to meet Canada or Fiji on October 26 for a place at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.
