Ghana Eagles, ranked among the top 16 countries on the continent, will use Saturday's friendly to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the budding talents who are preparing for an Olympic qualifier in November.

The game against Cote d'Ivoire is considered the most appropriate because of the Ivorians’ World Cup experience.

The Eagles have made a steady progress, coming from nowhere to enter into the Bronze Cup.

The Ghana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) president, Mr Herbert Mensah, said it was the aim of the team to reach the semi-final at the next competition.

Applying the same global standard, Mr Mensah is gradually changing the face of the sport with the injection of more private and global capital to bring it to a desired standard.

Sunda Ghana, Interplast, Pomp, Gino and Societe General are some of the few corporate bodies that are helping to develop rugby to international standards.

As the sport’s governing body in Africa tries to scrap the Gold and Silver Cup structure and replace it with the African Nations Cup, as pertains in football, Mr Mensah said Ghana would need players who were playing at high levels to represent the country.