Nigeria are just 80 minutes away from securing a place at next year’s World Cup after shutting out Ireland 10-0 in the opening match of the IRL Women’s World Series at Terry Fox Stadium.

The Green Falcons led 4-0 at halftime after prop Fedelia Omoghan crashed over in the 14th minute and secondrower Rachel Iliya sealed the historic win when she picked up a loose ball and ran 85m to score 11 minutes before fulltime.

Nigerian coach Bolu Fagborun praised his side’s defensive resolve, particularly after being forced to play a player down while five-eighth Shondell Akhabue was in the sinbin either side of halftime.

“We set our goal to defend really well and one of the things that we spoke about was that if we don’t let any tries in, we will win the game. That came true. The girls were absolutely brilliant, their defensive effort was absolutely phenomal,” Fagborun said.

“We didn’t half do it hard, but these women have got a hell of a lot of execution today and the things that we worked on they just came through. Just being tough and wanting to win a game, and doing everything you can.

“It’s a hell of a moment for Nigerian rugby league and obviously Middle East Africa as well.”

Ireland’s best scoring opportunity came just before halftime when fullback Lily Rogan spun out of a tackle to cross the tryline but the Wests Tigers star was held up in-goal.

Irish coach Matt Kennerson admitted the pressure of a sudden death World Cup qualifier may have got to his players.

“You can’t win a game of footy when you complete less than 30 per cent of your sets in the first half,” he said.

“We weren’t the best team today, they were the better team. We dropped a ball over the line, we didn’t capitalise, things didn’t go our way and we didn’t handle it well. That’s rugby league.”

Nigeria will meet the winner of the Canada-Fiji match in the final of the inaugural World Series at Terry Fox Stadium on Sunday, October 21. At stake is the eighth and final women’s berth at IRL Rugby League World Cup 2026 in Australia and Papua New Guinea.   

“We will rest up, review the game, review the Fiji-Canada game and just prepare for a final,” Fagborun said.

“The reality is that we are 80 minutes away from a World Cup and we are going to do everything we can to put ourselves on the front foot for that.

“There are plenty of things to work on but we are super excited to be in the final and the bounce of a ball could put us through to the World Cup so we are going to start preparing for that.”  

Photo credit: Colin Watson