The Nigeria rugby Coach, Steve Lewis has made public the 12-man roaster for the all-important Africa Cup 7s Rugby Tournament which starts on Saturday in Zimbabwe.
Coach Lewis made three changes to the team that had excellent run in the pre-Olympic qualifiers in Mauritius bringing in forward star player; Richard Adeniyi-Jones and two playmakers; Aristide Goualin who is making a return to the Stallions 7s having debuted in 2011 Africa Cup in Morocco and Ogheneloyeme Macaulay.
Co-captain, Declan Nwachukwu, captain Olukolade Awobowale, Gabriel John Etim, Matthew Ilube, Oluwadara Odunlami, Richard Adeniyi Jones, Frederick Henry Ajudua, Onoru Oyiza Jatto, Pierre Gualin, Aristide Goualin, Ogheneloyeme Macaulay, David Aniebolam all join to make the final squad.
Meanwhile, Ade Lipede Sr, Demi Kuteyi and JT Anthony are selected as non travelling reserves for the squad
The team are presently at the Zesa Training Center in Harare for the final phase of camping ahead of the competition which will see Nigeria play Kenya, Namibia and Zambia in pool B of the Tournament to be held at the Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe on Saturday and Sunday 16-17 September, 2023.
South Africa’s Blitzbokke will play Madagascar, Tunisia and Cote D’ I’voire in Pool A while the defending champions, Uganda will play hosts Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso and Algeria in pool C.
Africa Cup 2023 Pools
Pool A: South Africa, Madagascar, Tunisia, Cote D’Ivoire
Pool B: Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, Nigeria
Pool C: Uganda, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, Algeria
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Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
