The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation has named Scotsman Steve Lewis as the new head coach of the country’s senior national team.
According to the president of the Rugby Federation, Ademola Are, who confirmed the appointment of the new coach said Lewis’ first task is to qualify the team for the Olympics.
It will be noted that senior men’s national team known as the Black Stallions will camp in the United Kingdom ahead of the Rugby Afrique Olympic qualifiers slated for Mauritius on June 24 and 25, 2023.
According to Dr. Are, Steve’s first task will be to guide the national men’s and women’s sevens teams to the 2024 Olympic Games pre-qualifiers in Mauritius and Zambia, which will take place in June and July, respectively.
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“These outings are symbolic as it will be the first activities of Nigeria Rugby on the international scene since 2019,” he said.
Steve has coached the Black Stallions twice in the past 10 years, in 2012 and 2013. Under his leadership, Nigeria defied all odds to qualify for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
In 2016 and 2019, Steve was voted USA Rugby coach of the year.
Steve vowed to help Nigeria return to the international scene.
He said, “I look forward to playing a part in Nigeria’s return to international competition, and laying down good foundations for a new generation of Nigerian players & coaches.”
Coach Stephen Lewis is the Director of Rugby at Championship winning New York Major League Rugby Club.
