Nigeria to make history against Cumbria in Barrow

Saturday’s Second ABK Beer Ashes Test on Merseyside isn’t the only international Rugby League taking place in the north-west this weekend.

About 100 miles further up the coast on Sunday at Barrow’s Northern Competitions Stadium, the Cumbria representative team will make a welcome return, for their first fixture for two years – against a Nigeria team who will be playing their first competitive fixture outside Africa.

Nigerian Rugby League has made impressive progress in the six years since initial stirrings in 2019. The men’s team won the Middle East / Africa (MEA) Championships in 2019 and 2023, while the women’s team offered further evidence of the Rugby League talent in Africa’s most populous nation – with its global diaspora – when they beat Ireland in the World Cup qualifying tournament in Canada earlier this month.

Adam Sada, a former London Broncos player who plays a key role for Nigeria Rugby League based in the UK, explained:

“That was an incredible result, when you think there are a lot of Nigeria-based players in the team, and that the development of women’s Rugby League in Nigeria is even more recent than the men’s game.

“They were beaten by Fiji in the final of the qualifying competition but that certainly not disgraced against very strong and experienced opposition.

“The potential for Nigeria Rugby League is huge, and that’s why we’re so pleased to be playing this first match outside Africa for our men’s team.

“It’s not necessarily our strongest team, with guys like Jayden Okunbur unavailable. But it’s a good chance for us to assess our UK-based talent, with a mix of professional and amateur players – and it works for us and Cumbria as a fixture, as they were keen to get a game in front of their fans in Barrow.”

Rio Corkill – the Barrow-born forward who made a single Super League appearance for St Helens in 2022, and whose full name of Rio-Osayomwanbo reflects his Nigerian heritage – has been a key figure in confirming the match.

Cumbria, coached by Barrow’s Paul Crarey, have the new Hull FC signing Harvie Hill in their squad as well as Brad Singleton, a veteran of the Cumbrian cause.

Tickets are available in advance at £20 for adults, £5 for children, with a family ticket for two adults and up to children for £45 – and a VIP package also available. Click here for full details.

And for those unable to get to Cumbria and keen to watch this unique fixture on Sunday afternoon, streaming passes are available from Loungestv here.

The match kicks off at 2pm.

Cumbria squad in full:

• Max Anderson-Moore (Whitehaven)
• Ellis Archer (Workington Town)
• Luke Broadbent (Barrow Raiders)
• Jordan Burns (Whitehaven)
• Jake Carter (Workington Town)
• Luke Cresswell (Barrow Raiders)
• Ellis Gillam (Toulouse Olympique)
• Harvie Hill (Hull FC)
• Ellison Holgate (Whitehaven)
• Connor Holliday (Whitehaven)
• Finn McMillan (Barrow Raiders)
• Jake Pearce (Whitehaven)
• Stevie Scholey (Workington Town)
• Brad Singleton (Castleford Tigers)
• Curtis Teare (Barrow Raiders)
• Jordan Thompson (Whitehaven)
• Shane Toal (Barrow Raiders)
• Brad Walker (Barrow Raiders)
• Tom Walker (Barrow Raiders)