African rugby is turning its attention to women. The priority is to develop the sport. The continental body, Rugby Afrique, has announced that it has extended its agreement with the French Development Agency (AFD) to include a women’s dimension. The partnership between the two parties, initially signed in July 2022, has been accompanied since last week by a €500,000 financing agreement for the implementation of a programme aimed at strengthening the inclusive practice of rugby in Africa. The French Rugby Federation (FFR) will be providing its expertise in training managers, coaches and referees to nine African federations in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia and Uganda. At the same time, the “Get into Rugby” programme developed by World Rugby, dedicated to introducing children to the game of rugby, will be rolled out in disadvantaged communities, with the aim of reaching more than 10,000 children. The first two days have already taken place this year, in Madagascar (June 10-20) and Côte d’Ivoire (August 21-31). Nearly 600 children took part in the first of the two events.
