Rachel Iliya, a personal trainer who once worked as a cleaner to support her family battling sickle cell disease, is now a key player for Nigeria’s “Green Falcons” women’s rugby league team, which is on the verge of making history.
The 23-year-old loose forward, who recently joined English club Bradford Bulls for a training programme, helped her amateur team secure a spot in the World Series in Canada later this month.
Nigeria needs just two victories there to qualify for the 2026 Women’s World Cup, a feat no African nation has achieved.
Iliya, who scored two tries on her debut, told BBC Sport Africa that rugby “means everything to me” and has shaped her into a “strong and resilient woman.”
Despite working long hours as a personal trainer, she channels that physical drive onto the field.
The 17th-ranked Green Falcons will face Ireland in the semi-finals on October 21st, with the winner advancing to play for the single World Cup berth against either Canada or Fiji.
For Iliya and her team, qualification would not just be a win for Nigeria, but a massive breakthrough for rugby league across the African continent.
