From Cobham to Abuja via Army & RAF
Major Tom Cowan has always been part of the rugby family.
When another serving officer’s husband, Daniel Nicolle, who is located in Nigeria, was catching up online, it saw a plan come together - Tom’s current club, Cobham, helping an emerging team in Abuja.
Daniel is Australian and, despite his allegiance to the Wallabies, the old adage of opponents on the pitch but rugby friends off it came into play. He told Tom that he was helping the Abuja club who have amazingly managed to create a men’s team, a women’s team and youth rugby but had very little kit and were playing in T-shirts.
Once Tom relayed the story at his club, Chris Melton, the archetypal club stalwart, rallied a collection and they managed to get a set of kit together, with 29 Regiment Royal Logistic Corp ensuring that it was flown out by the RAF to Daniel in Abuja.
Now Cobham are keen to carry on supporting the club in an area of Nigeria which really needs positives and enjoyable sport.
Said Tom: “It’s great to see my club Cobham helping this effort, which is so impressive. It all came out of a chat between a couple of friends and the amazing effort of Daniel and the Abuja club”.
“Ours is a great club running at least two and sometimes three senior men’s teams each week, as well as providing girls’ and youth and mini rugby. Typical of Cobham is the memorial game we are playing against London Irish on 5 February to remember one of our players Kieran Notter, who died last year.”
Two different clubs – same passion
Daniel says that although they are very different the two rugby clubs share the same passion for the game.
“Abuja Rugby Football Club (ARFC) is made up of 97% local Nigerians, the other 3% are expats or diplomats, from British and French High Commissions. I have been here in Nigeria since October 2020 and the ARFC was founded in 2014 by a small group of rugby enthusiasts. However, it wasn’t until 2021 that the team was reconfigured and has now been having a tremendous impact in Abuja and wider Nigeria. An amateur men’s rugby club, it has quickly gained in popularity and consequently has emerging ladies’ and colts’ (under 18yrs boys) teams.
“The ethos of ARFC is not merely about on-field success, we are a team of people from different tribes, countries, socio-economic backgrounds, genders and ages who all have a passion for rugby, a commitment to support one another and to grow rugby in Nigeria, for Nigerians. In October and November 2021, ARFC played two games. We fielded a men’s team, 10s full contact, with uncontested scrums, and a mixed development team of ladies and colts, which was touch rugby.
“This year, we are playing an inter club game in February, a game in March and April (hopefully 15s format with scrummaging) with both teams playing again. In May, we are planning a 10s tournament, where we will invite between 7-10 teams to come to Abuja to compete.
“The donations of Major Tom Cowan and Cobham Rugby has been amazing for the morale of our team. We will play our first game in the kit in March. ARFC now has a fully operational Committee of volunteers.We hold regular management meetings and are holding our first AGM on the 5th February, so that we can give clear indications of the management’s visions, how we will involve all players.
Developing grassroots rugby too
“We are also starting up grassroots rugby, by approaching national and international schools, so that we can teach the basics of rugby to these kids. We will try and hold regular tournaments for the so that they get the motivation to learn more and enjoy the competitive side of rugby.
“ARFC, has a very bright future ahead, due to the hard work of our committee and amazing donations from abroad such as Cobham RFC’s. We will be launching an international campaign (Just Giving) to raise some money for the ongoing costs. Although we have a membership system in place, some players can’t afford to pay. And while we have some businesses and people donating to our club, we need more to cover costs which include pitch hire for training and games, equipment (tackle shields being made in country), cost to bring teams to us. As Nigeria isn’t a safe place to travel outside the Federal Capital Territory, ARFC can’t travel and, as the host, we have to pay for travel, accommodations and food.”
If you would like further information or to offer support please contact: danielnicolle@yahoo.co.uk
