Nigeria Green Falcon appoint NRLW coach Melissa Spero

Nigeria officials have confirmed their ambition for the African nation to become a powerhouse of the women’s game with the appointment of Sydney Roosters assistant coach Melissa Spero to take charge of the Green Falcons.

Spero, who was also a member of the coaching staff for the New South Wales Blues side which created history by completing a 3-0 cleansweep of this year’s Women’s State of Origin series, has an impressive coaching record.

She has worked closely with John Strange at Sydney Roosters for the past four years - including their 2024 premiership triumph and 2025 minor premiership win and been a mentor for the club's pathways coaches.

A pioneer for female coaches at the elite level of the game, Spero has also an extensive background in player development.

Spero has coached the Australian Schoolgirls and been an assistant coach of NSW Under 19s, as well as Illawarra Steelers Tarsha Gale (U19s) and NSWRL Women’s Premiership sides.

“The appointment of Melissa Spero is a statement of intent. We are not here to make up the numbers,” Nigeria Rugby League Association Vice Chairman Ade Adebisi said.

“Our goal has always been to be the first African nation to qualify for the Women’s Rugby League World Cup, and appointing a coach of Melissa’s calibre, with her record at the highest level of the women’s game in Australia, brings us closer to making that a reality.

“We are excited about what this appointment means for the Green Falcons and for women’s rugby league across the continent.”

Nigeria are currently ranked the No.10 Women’s nation in the IRL World Rankings after beating Ireland in last year’s inaugural World Series in Canada before losing to Fiji in a play-off for the final berth at RLWC2026.

Spero’s first match in charge of the Green Falcons will be against France, who are ranked No.4, in Perpignan on August 1.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to coach Nigeria,” Spero said. “I’ve been following their progress and from what I’ve seen and heard, the players are training hard and doing their best to grow and become better. Having athletes that are willing and want to achieve is the first step to becoming successful.

“For me, the most exciting thing is that Nigeria is just starting out on their journey, so it is a bit like Papua New Guinea 10 years ago. There is a lot of potential so there is no reason they can’t be competitive.”

After their performance in the inaugural World Series in Canada, Nigeria RLA Director of High Performance & International Competitions, Luke Shearman, said Spero had been identified as a coach who could take the Green Falcons to the next level.

“Mel’s appointment is a significant step forward for our women’s high-performance program. Her experience in elite rugby league and commitment to athlete development will help establish the standards, culture and pathways required for long-term success,” Shearman said.

“We are building a program capable of competing with the world’s best, and Mel will play a pivotal role in that journey.”

“We undertook an extensive search process and spoke with a number of highly credentialed candidates from Australia, England and Europe to ensure we identified the right person to lead our women’s program.

“Throughout that process, Mel consistently stood out through her experience, leadership and vision for athlete development. We are delighted to secure a coach of her calibre and are confident she will play a significant role in shaping the future success of the Green Falcons.”