Mensah, a Ghanaian businessman, has headed Africa’s continent’s rugby federation since March 2023.
He told RFI sports correspondent Babacar Diarra about his ambitious plans.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
RFI: First of all we would like to know your personal history with rugby. Are you a former player?
Herbert Mensah: Yes, rugby is life. I’ve always liked all sports, but at school and university I mainly played rugby.
I’ve played in England, South Africa and Zimbabwe. I played one international match against Italy. Then I came back and played for Saracens in London for a season.
So yes, rugby has been in my blood since I was six.
Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah speaks to RFI in Paris on August 18, 2023. © RFI/Rosslyn Hyams
RFI: One of the keys to developing the sport is money. How do you plan to raise funds and encourage people to invest in African rugby?
HM: My mantra for decades, and especially in the few months of my presidency, has been that sport is big business. Sports often attract people who can play but don’t understand how the game works.
If you understand that sport is big business, then you understand that there has to be dynamic change. Especially when it comes to the diet and lifestyle of the players.
Sport is now also global and not just European. Africa has a lot of content and is the largest continent on earth. The greatest athletes have an African heritage, even here in France. We need to bring investment and infrastructure back to our continent.
RFI: Many other sports are more popular in Africa than rugby. How would you convince a small child from Ghana to pick up a rugby ball?
HM: Support requires investments that start with good friends. I have been fortunate to have meetings with the African Union and government agencies to introduce rugby into the curriculum.
We’ve been pushing in the four or five months I’ve been at Rugby Africa to get countries to start developing rugby pitches. Because in most countries there are not even rugby fields. And many footballers say they don’t want “the big ones” on their pitches.
The Kenyan government has now made land available for playing rugby, as has Zimbabwe. Even in Ghana we now have the first purpose-built rugby pitch for next year’s Africa Games. Rugby is now part of the African Games.
Senegalese’s Mamadou Sall (L) is tackled by Mauritius’ player Cedric Poche during a rugby union qualifier for the Africa Cup of Nations 2020 at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium in Dakar November 30, 2019. © AFP / SEYLLOU
Some countries are now investing huge sums in grassroots sport. They realize that not everyone can play basketball or soccer. First you invest, and then people say, “Oh, we can play rugby.”
It’s a process. It means a mindset shift in governments, in rugby Africa and even in global bodies.
RFI: At the Rugby World Cup in France, two nations – South Africa and Namibia – will represent the continent at this year’s tournament. Do you expect other countries to catch up soon?
HM: Without investment, African countries will not fare any better.
Some people only play a Test match every year or two. The athletes are not given the opportunity to play regularly.
We ask our partners to look again at where rugby is going today and how to invest in Africa to ensure we move forward step by step so that the big nations can play at least six to eight games a year .
Namibia’s players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Rugby Africa Cup rugby union final match between Namibia and Kenya at the Maurice David stadium in Aix-en-Provence, southeastern France, July 10, 2022. © AFP / CHRISTOPHE SIMON
RFI: What do you think are the chances of South Africa, the world champions, making it again in France?
HM: You know, in the world of sports, only the fans expect to win every time. The realists know that this is not possible.
I think this World Cup will be exceptional and I have to congratulate France. They developed an exceptional structure and there was an excellence program. They are certainly the favorites to win the world championship this year.
South Africa are champions but with Handré Pollard injured and three or four other players absent they go into the tournament with a slightly weaker squad.
As an African, I wave the flag of champions South Africa, but with full respect for the hosts.
RFI: Siya Kolisi is fully fit again for South Africa. Do you think that as a black captain he will pave the way for the children of the continent?
HM: I think so. You see it all over the continent. You see it in South Africa. Not just because he’s a captain, but also because of his modesty.
He represents the personality the world needs today, the driving force of excellence and a winner. It stands for rugby for all – white, black, big, small, you name it.
South Africa’s captain Siya Kolisi celebrates winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup semifinals against Wales in Japan. © AFP
There are now more black players in the South African Sevens squad. This also happens in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
It’s not a question of color, I want to make that clear, but there are more people who want to play.
RFI: Africa gets two places at Rugby World Cup. America has none. Japan is the only team representing Asia. Can the Africans get a third team in a few years?
HM: It’s difficult – rugby is a physical game. It’s more than just sport, it’s a struggle for excellence. The skills are extreme.
But we can do what happened with football: I was a little involved in encouraging FIFA to increase the number [African] teams allowed. They argued about the investment, but I said we should start there first. If you increase the number of teams to three, four, five, governments will invest money because it’s prestigious and people want it.
We have 37 countries playing Rugby Africa. Can you imagine if we had teams? Kenya could be there and assert themselves. Algeria could be there.
Football said no, then yes, and what happened recently? Morocco won [against Portugal]; Cameroon defeated Brazil. Senegal did incredibly well, as did Ghana.
So give us more contests. Get African countries involved in bigger competitions. Then we could have two, three, four African countries that could compete globally – maybe not champions straight away, but eligible. Give the Africans their chances.
RFI: There was a controversy last year after Rugby Africa Cup was held in France and not on the continent. Do you understand that?
HM: I do and I think it was the wrong decision. I wasn’t responsible and I think it was bad publicity for Africa.
It was a big mistake; it won’t happen again.
RFI: Finally, why do you believe in a brighter future for rugby in Africa?
HM: We have a new team at Rugby Africa, I’m a new president, it’s a whole new vision.
The world has changed and is changing by the minute. We will see greater excellence in Africa.
Believe in us. We believe in ourselves. It’s time you believed in us too.
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