Moroccan rugby team to host Uganda in May 2006 African Cup of Nations

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The Moroccan rugby team will host Uganda on 27 May in its first-leg match for the 2006 African Cup of Nations, the Moroccan Royal Rugby Association said on Wednesday (7 December). The Moroccan team -- defending African champs -- is in Group A with Uganda and Côte d'Ivoire, while Group B comprises Tunisia, Namibia and Kenya. The 2006 African champion will automatically qualify for the 2007 Rugby World Cup finals in France. The runner-up will have to play qualifying games with two European and Latin American teams. (Angola Press)


Morocco was placed in Group A of the 2006 Africa Rugby Cup with Côte d'Ivoire and Uganda, the Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) announced. Tunisia will play in Group B alongside Namibia and Kenya. The African nations' tournament previously consisted of nine teams, but this year it will include 12 national sides, divided into four groups.

The CAR has decided that the games involving Group A and Group B will count as qualifiers for the 2007 Rugby World Cup to be held in France. The two group winners will meet in a two-leg final to qualify for the World Cup. (Morocco Times, La Presse)

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just because "x" loves rugby x gets the best result
hemdulilah ! I love rugby too
Rugby
Morocco crowned African champions !
Morocco have won their second continental crown after they beat Madagascar 43-6 in the African Confederation Cup (CAR) final Saturday in Paris.

The final game was originally scheduled for Saint Denis' Stade de France as a curtain-raiser to the big match opposing Les Bleus to South Africa. But it was then transferred to Stade Claude Luboz in the northern Paris suburb of Gennevillers, due to the heavy rains that persisted in Europe over the week.

The Moroccans made it through to the CAR final after walloping Namibia 49-0 in a last-four clash at Casablanca's COC Stadium, while Madagascar upset South African Amateurs with a 33-31 victory in the Madagascan capital Antananarivo.

The national side had reached the last four after finishing group leaders in the first stages. The top spot gave the Moroccans home-ground advantage in the semi-final against Namibia, who ended up second in the group phase.

Morocco, who are ranked 21st in the world, won the African title in 2003, but failed to defend it last year against Namibia.

The Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) has announced the fixtures of the 2006 Africa Cup, with Morocco drawn against Côte d'Ivoire and Uganda in Group A.

The African nations' tournament was previously named Top 9, as it included this number of teams. But next year it will comprise 12 national sides, divided into four groups.

Group B counts Namibia, Tunisia alongside Kenya, and Group C includes South Africa's amateur team, Cameroon and Senegal, while Group D features Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Zambia.

CAR has decided that the games involving Group A and Group B will count as qualifiers for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, to be held in France, with the matches being played on a home and away ground.

The two group winners will clash in two legs for an automatic ticket to the world tournament and a place in the Africa Cup semis.

The loser will have a chance to take part in the World Cup qualifiers due to be completed in early 2007.

The other semi-final game of the African Cup will oppose the winners of the two remaining pools.