The 4th edition of the Edo State Schools’ Rugby Tournament under the auspices of Ehibam Griefshare Foundation takes place today, December 1, at the Edo Boys High School in Benin City.
The Foundation has over the last five years partnered with the Edo State Rugby Association for the Ehibam Schools Rugby Tournament.
“Last year, we had a return to the field after the disruption caused by the pandemic in 2020,” the initiator of the project, Pastor Dupe Irele, said.
To revive the program, The Ehibam Griefshare Foundation in 2021, provided the basic rugby equipment (rugby balls) to kick start the program after the pandemic.
She said: “The rugby balls’ presentation ceremony was the Foundation’s way of reassuring the future of the program with its continued support and partnership in its activities going forward. The Ehibam Schools Rugby Program was launched in 2018 to encourage the sport of rugby among the young boys and girls from both primary and secondary schools in Edo State.
“The wind behind the sail of the foundation is Late Ehisieme Alonge who was an ardent rugby player in the United Kingdom and spent a lot of time nurturing the young children in the beautiful game of Rugby.
“ To this end we look forward to the Ehibam Schools Rugby Invitational Tournament this year on the actual birthday of Late Ehisieme Alonge who passed on in the United Kingdom at the age of 35, on the 10th June 2015.”
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The foundation, with the push of the Edo State Head Coach Ntiense Williams popularly known as Mr Rugby and his hardworking team of coaches, will this year be organising an invitational four female and four male team’s championship.
“This tournament has greatly assisted Edo State to be national champions in Youth Games’ rugby events and by extension, the Open Championship as well, like the recently completed National Women Sevens Rugby Tournament which Edo State Female Team won in grand style and made history as the only team to have played and won all games without conceding a defeat or any point against,” explained Williams.
He added: “We would like to sincerely thank Ehibam Griefshare Foundation for keeping faith with the development of Schools’ Rugby in Edo State. There will be two floating trophies for the winning teams of both boys & girls teams as well as medals for the best three teams in both the boys & girls categories and there will also be two prizes for the MVP and Highest Try Scorers to celebrate the occasion.”
PREVIOUS WINNERS
2018: Emotan College & Asoro / Correctional Staff School
2019: Emotan College & Correctional Staff School – 2019
2020: Did not hold due to pandemic
2021: Revival of tourney with rugby balls donation
2022: Idia College & Iyekogba Grammar School