Rugby: “a real foothold in Rwanda”

October 13, 2006

Best news I've heard in years coming from one of the world's nastiest corners. The Telegraph reports rugby union is bringing sworn enemies together on the paddock in Rwanda. The Telegraph often pulls their online stories after a week-or-two and charges subscription fees, so this one is worth posting in whole:

Friendly Rwandan ruck is welcome sight for Keane

By Brendan Gallagher
The Telegraph
(Filed: 12/10/2006)

BBC foreign correspondent Fergal Keane witnessed some extraordinary sights in Rwanda during the savage civil war which resulted in a million dead, but even he was left non-plussed earlier this year on a return trip to the small central African state as it begins to pick up the pieces.

"On two separate occasions in and around Kigali, the capital, I saw pick-up games of rugby taking place between youngsters with Hutus and Tutsis – supposedly sworn enemies from the civil war – mixed up playing amicably together," Keane recalls.

"I was astounded on a number of levels. The integration of the 'enemies' and the fact that I, a Limerick man and rugby fan, simply had no idea rugby existed in Rwanda. It's normally football black Africans turn to.

"I started talking to a guy on the touchline and he assured me rugby was now getting a real foothold in Rwanda – with pitches and sticks as he put it – and indeed his sister was president of the newly-formed Rwandan Federation.

"Rwanda is a small country and somehow that didn't surprise me. The game has arrived from Uganda apparently and the youngsters love it because all shapes and sizes could play and you could be aggressive within the laws of the game."

Keane was talking earlier this week at the launch of Touraid, a newly-formed charitable organisation.

Over the coming years, Touraid intend to ensure that developing young rugby players from disadvantaged countries around the world get the chance to regularly tour Britain, play rugby, wrap themselves up in rugby's brotherhood and go back to their native countries with their horizons broadened. "Tour for a week, learn for a lifetime", as the organisation's motto goes.

Chester Williams, who played in his bare feet until the age of 15 in South Africa, flew over and is wildly enthusiastic about the project and after a recent spell coaching in Uganda knows what an impact rugby can make in such areas.

The South African-born England international Mike Catt will act as Touraid's ambassador and Dean Richards, at Harlequins, is among a number of Premiership directors of rugby to also express their support.

Schools will host the incoming tours but the link with Premiership clubs could be crucial, with Touraid ultimately wanting all 12 clubs – London Irish and Wasps are already on board with Harlequins – to adopt a side or a school and follow that through year after year. This would involve intensive coaching sessions when the young players visit and the staging of warm-up games before league matches.

It will not all be one-way traffic – the benefits could also be mutual, with rugby players of real potential emerging from the Third World.

The first three incoming trips are already in place. Singidinum RFC Under-13s, from Serbia, arrive for a five-day tour on Nov 8 which will include two matches, providing the guard of honour at London Irish v Gloucester and a chance to watch England against Argentina.

Next, Ciorsecu Under-13s will arrive from Europe's poorest country, Moldova, which boasts a small but thriving rugby community. They will play Danes Hill School and also take part in a curtain-raiser ahead of Harlequins' game against Worcester.

Finally, Kyadondo Under-13s will fly in from Uganda on Nov 22. They have two games lined up and will visit Twickenham to watch England against South Africa. They are also scheduled to provide the guard of honour at the match between Wasps and Leicester.

"Rugby union was just asleep for years and years," Keane continues. "The old oligarchy of eight nations just sat back terrified of change, yet it has the potential to be a truly global sport, just a notch behind football as a team game. What were they thinking of? The IRB [International Rugby Board] have definitely improved recently but they are still just scratching the surface."

Source: The Telegraph.