The Nigeria Rugby League women’s national team, the Green Falcons, are targeting a clean sweep when they face Ghana’s Leopardess in the second leg of their two-match friendly series on Saturday at the Alaro City International Rugby Pitch in Lekki, Lagos.
The Nigerians stormed to an emphatic 40–0 victory in the first game last weekend in a dominant display that underlined their growing stature in African rugby league.
Lauretta Bayere and Faustina Akeje scored two tries each, while Adaeze Innocent registered one try and three conversions to complete an authoritative performance for the hosts.
The second leg offers the Falcons another opportunity to fine-tune their tactics ahead of a more significant test, their participation in the inaugural Rugby League World Series.
Nigeria will compete against Ireland, Fiji, and hosts Canada for the final qualification spot at the 2026 Women’s Rugby League World Cup in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
According to the PUNCH Sports Extra ahead of the return fixture, the general manager of the Nigeria Rugby League Association, Isah LS, said the team’s preparations had been structured to ensure a comprehensive approach that covers both tactical and mental readiness.
“We are currently in camp, and we had our first friendly against Ghana, and the second is coming up on the 11th,” Isah said.
“We have broken down the training into three sections to ensure we are effective in all aspects. The first phase was to iron out any frictions, and the one we are working on now will be tested this weekend in the second game.”
The Green Falcons, who are the current Middle East and Africa Rugby League champions, will use Saturday’s clash to assess their progress and team cohesion before travelling for the global qualifiers.
Among the new faces in the squad is London-born player Daniel Oluwadamilola, who joined the team earlier this year. The 23-year-old second drive described her experience with the Green Falcons as both exciting and transformative.
“I think the standard of rugby league in Nigeria is really high,” she told PUNCH Sports Extra.
“We played Ghana on the weekend and were able to beat them comfortably 40–0. There’s still a lot we can develop and bring to the game, but I think everyone is going to be shocked by what we’re going to produce.”
Oluwadamilola, who plies her trade with the West Warriors in the UK Championship, said she discovered the Green Falcons through her club connections in London. She explained that joining the Nigerian team had been one of the best career decisions she had made.
“I found out about the Green Falcons through one of my coaches at West Warriors. He told me Nigeria was recruiting players and connected me with Adam, one of the managers based in London.
“Adam said I needed to maintain a high standard in the championship and stay aware of developments in the team so they could assess me. That’s how I joined, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier, it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
The British-born forward added that the transition to playing in Nigeria had been smooth thanks to the warm reception from her teammates and coaches.
“I’m blending in really well. Everyone has been trying to bring me in, teaching me Pidgin and helping me settle down. By the end of this, I’m going to be a proper Nigerian girl,” she said.
Saturday’s second leg against Ghana promises to be a spirited affair as the Falcons aim to maintain their unbeaten record in the friendly series while sharpening their edge for the World Series in Canada later this year.
