University of Ghana’s Legon Rugby Field will play host to the latest round of the Ghana RL 9s tomorrow (17 January, 1pm kick off local time), almost a year since the last round.

Four teams played in the opening two tournaments of the planned series in January and February 2020 before sport was shut down in the nation due to the coronavirus pandemic. Bulls and Ghana Skolars won the first two festivals with Accra Panthers in third place and Ghana Pirates looking for their first win. During the enforced shutdown, a fifth club has been formed – Nungua Tigers, and they will make their debut tomorrow in the opening match, against the Bulls.

Each team will play the other in the festival format, with nine more monthly gatherings planned throughout the year before the champions are crowned, as part of Rugby League Federation Ghana’s domestic competition schedule.

“The return to play is a reward for the patience and belief of everyone involved in Ghana rugby league,” said RLFG general manager Jafaru Mustapha. “There is a real sense of excitement to get back to competition and to renew rivalries, we are looking forward to more intriguing moments on the field. To have set up a fifth male club during this time is a tribute to the hard work going on by so many to establish the sport here, even amidst a pandemic. It sends a positive message and I am looking forward to see how the tenderfoot Tigers go.”