Rugby Africa’s President Herbert Mensah on why Africa is the future of rugby!

DISCLAIMER: This episode was recorded in February 2026.

Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah joins David Pembroke with a blunt message: the athletes are there, the passion is there, but the money and match opportunities are not. From budgets to government backing to smarter packaging, this is what “building rugby” actually looks like.

Mensah talks through his journey from playing in England and with Saracens to driving rugby in Ghana and across Africa, including the Max Brito tour and the shock crowds rugby can draw in the right setting. He explains why South Africa and France matter for coaching, referees, and pre-match pathways, why the Olympics and Sevens are massive (and logistically tough), and what he sees from the World Rugby Executive Board on revenue, COVID aftershocks, and the high-stakes plan for USA 2031.

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In this episode:
00:00 🎙️ David Pembroke welcomes Herbert Mensah, Rugby Africa
01:00 🏉 Herbert Mensah’s first rugby ball in England
02:00 🧱 Old-school rugby culture, rules, and “war wounds”
03:00 🏟️ Saracens, county rugby, and Morris “Kcl” memories
04:00 🌍 Zimbabwe rugby, Italy tour, and injury ending playing days
05:00 🇬🇭 Ghana rugby beginnings and beating French-speaking neighbours
06:00 🧑‍🦽 Max Brito tour story and Accra Sports Stadium hype
08:00 📈 Rugby Africa growth vision and athlete pipeline reality
11:00 💷 Rugby Africa budget: 675,000 pounds for competitions
14:00 🏛️ Government funding model: Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, Uganda
16:00 🇿🇦 Mark Alexander support and Springbok A vs Zimbabwe idea
18:00 🌐 World Rugby needs less predictability for global growth
20:00 🏆 Web Ellis Trophy in Kampala and Rugby Africa tournament crowds
23:00 👩‍⚖️ Women’s Sevens: all-African women officials milestone
24:00 🥇 Olympics and Sevens circuit challenges across Africa
26:00 💼 World Rugby revenue pressures and USA 2031 stakes
31:00 🇺🇸 USA 2031 cultural risk: getting the entry right
36:00 🎵 New event packaging ideas: music, streaming, lifestyle rugby
46:00 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe 2027 plan, funding gap, and World Rugby support plea
48:00 🙌 Closing: optimism, alignment, Eddie Jones and Ewen McKenzie

Call to action:
📌 What’s the bigger priority for World Rugby right now: nailing USA 2031, or funding real pathways for emerging teams like Zimbabwe?

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