Afghanistan to try their hands in rugby – Rugby News Update
The Afghanistan rugby team is set to play a Rugby Sevens match against the UAE Shaheen’s, their first international rugby event. The game of rugby has become popular in the country and with political tensions easing; the Afghani nationals are committing
themselves to different sports.
Steve Brooking, a United Nations worker in Afghanistan who happens to be the technical advisor to the Afghanistan Rugby Federation (ARF) recalls that a year ago there were hardly any players in the country. The sport was imported by Afghanis who were living
in England and thought that the game would appeal to the local populace.
The popularity of the game grew exponentially. One day there were three players, the next day saw seven more and by the end of 2011, there were 120 players and eight teams in the country, coupled with a national squad that is touring the United Arab Emirates.
Brooking, who performed a similar role in China in 1990 is excited about the tour and expressed his views by saying, “Up until now, we’ve been playing at the NATO base in Kabul against military teams. That’s why this tour to Dubai is so big for us – we will
get to play against another country’s team.”
The 25-year-old Afghani scrum-half Aziz Ahmad is ecstatic regarding the tour, and he feels that it is about enjoying rather than winning. He said, “For us it is all about enjoyment. We play for each other and we love to play rugby,” and he further added,
“We have improved a lot in recent months but we know we still have much to learn about this game. But we will play our best, work hard and see what happens.”
Brookings who served in the British Foreign Office for 20 years is hopeful that the popularity of the game will catch on in the country. He said, “I think if the people are shown this Game, they will love it. It could become very popular in Kabul and all
over the country.”
Like their cricket counterparts, the Afghanistan rugby team can take heart from the fact that after this tour they will play in England in June.
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