A three-nation rugby tournament will take place at the Ndoum Stadium at Elmina in the Central Region.
It is between Ghana, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire and forms part of a new rugby game format spearheaded by World Rugby.
This was contained in a press release issued by the Ghana Rugby Football Union (GRFU).
Mr. Herbert Mensah, President of the Union in a video broadcast ahead of the tournament said, ”you’ve heard me say it many times that sports is a big business. We indulge in a game of rugby that requires a huge amount of money for development, training, medicare, feeding and nutrition and branding.
He said “we at Ghana Rugby, even without state support; have managed to maintain a reasonably special relationship with sponsors. It is something we’ve cultivated over the period,” he added.
The statement explained the importance of competitions in attracting sponsorship to the game and the need for constant competitions for Ghana Rugby to be able to aspire to participate in international rugby tournaments and Olympic Games.
It said without competition, rugby in Ghana or anywhere cannot attract sponsorships to sustain the World Rugby standards of the game and without sponsorship they cannot have competition, so as they embark on this tournament with Ivory Coast and Nigeria they would like to reach out and thank their special sponsors who are making it possible.
The statement applauded the Pan African Equipment Group, Interplast, GB brand of Gino Food Products, Sunda International and KEDA Ceramics as well as Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, owner of the Nduom Sports Stadium who all made it possible through their various sponsorship packages for Ghana rugby to participate in these tournaments and aspire to the Olympics.
He encouraged other private companies in Ghana to join the sponsoring group to develop the Game of Rugby in Ghana.
Ghana rugby was the official full member of both World Rugby 2017 and Rugby Africa in Ghana-West Africa and is responsible for the management and development of the game in the country.
The Union is governed by a Constitution and administers five Key Performance Areas (KPAs) that is Youth Development and Growth through the World Rugby “Get into Rugby” Programme, Women in Ghana Rugby programme, Training and Education programme, Domestic Competitions programme and International Performance. –GNA
