Nigeria Rugby League women’s head coach, Bolu Fagborun, has admitted that there is still plenty of work to be done, despite the Green Falcons’ impressive 10-0 victory over Ireland to book a place in the final of the IRL Women’s World Series
The match will also serves as the qualifier for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
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The win over Ireland means Nigeria will now face Fiji, who defeated Canada 48-0 in the other semi-final.
The two sides will battle on Sunday, with the winner claiming the eighth and final ticket to next year’s Women’s Rugby League World Cup.
“We will rest up, review the game, and prepare for the final,” Fagborun said.
“The reality is that we are 80 minutes away from a World Cup. We’ll do everything we can to put ourselves on the front foot for that. There are plenty of things to work on, but we’re super excited to be in the final. The bounce of a ball could decide it, so preparation is key.”
The Green Falcons took a 4–0 lead at halftime after prop Fedelia Omoghan crashed over in the 14th minute, while second-rower Rachel Iliya sealed the historic win by picking up a loose ball and sprinting 80 metres to score 11 minutes from full-time.
Iliya, a 23-year-old personal trainer, also made a try-saving tackle to preserve Nigeria’s clean sheet — further confirming her status as one of the team’s rising stars after switching from flag football just last year.
Coach Fagborun praised his players for their resolute defending, especially after being reduced to one player less when star five-eighth Shondell Akhabue (of Wentworthville Magpies) was sent to the sin bin.
“We set our goal to defend really well, and one thing we agreed on was that if we didn’t concede, we would win the game,” Fagborun explained.
“That came true. The girls were absolutely brilliant — their defensive effort was phenomenal. We didn’t make it easy, but their execution, toughness, and desire to win were incredible.”
The coach described the victory as a historic moment for Nigerian rugby league and a significant milestone for the Middle East-Africa region.
“It’s a hell of a moment for Nigerian rugby league, and obviously for Middle East Africa as well,” he added.
