Captain of Lagos Rhinos Rugby Football Club,Nwabichiri Raphael said their victory against R2 Finesse Rugby Football Club was well deserved in the week one of the ongoing Nigeria Rugby League Season of Southern Conference.

Lagos Rhinos began their campaign on a winning note following their victory over R2 Finesse at the CMS Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos.

The pulsating tie which was played over the weekend saw Rhinos defeated R2 Finesse 32-30.The game was keenly contested as Lagos Rhinos managed to win with a slim margin.

Speaking after the enconter,Rapheal admitted that their opponents gave them a run for their money and thanked God for the team’s succes.

He also disclosed that the game was keenly contested and commended his colleagues for their doggedness amd resilience showed throughout the enconter.

“It was a tough game for us and at a point i thought we would lose the match but i must commend my colleagues for their fighting spirit and commitment to the game.We were resilient and dogged throughout the game and our victory was well deserved,”he said.

R2 Finesse Captain, Alex Odey expressed sadness that his team lost narrowly to their opponents and remained optimistic that the team would bounce back in their next game.

“We came here to win unfortunately it did not go the way we wanted it.Let me confess that our opponents were a good side and the better side won.It was a league quite alright and we would be stronger in our next game,”he said.

Match cordinator, Samson Okeowo expressed satisfaction with the performance of the two teams saying that the game was keenly contested and the better side won.

He said the purpose of the league was to develop the the game of rugby at the grassroots clubs and also gives players a platform to showcase their God given talents.

He disclosed that the league is also served as a preparatory ground to select players ahead of world cup qualifiers against Kenya sheduled for later in the year.

He however thanked First Dominion Insurance Brokers Limited for its finacial support given to the league and charged other bodies to contribute their own quota to the development of rugby football at the grassroots level.

Meanwhile a total of five teams involved in both men and women categories , while five teams also registered for the U-19 male category.