Indian Rugby

Goughy · 13-07-2010, 07:21 PM

As some of you may know, I am moving to the Philippines. I want to play some rugby -amongst other things- and I have been checking out the sport in the country.

There isnt really much to tell. There are about 10 teams, some struggle to have 15 members, they obviously do not have a history in the game and no public interest. They only became a member of the IRB in 2009. The standard clearly isnt great.

So it was a suprise to me to read that they won the the HSBC Asian Five Nations Division 2 competition with a 34-12 win over India in New Delhi with a 2000 strong crowd watching.

How is that possible? India has over 15 000 players and over 75 clubs.

Why is India performing so badly in rugby? It isnt as if the Philippines has a culure of sport (3rd largest nation not to win a single medal in the last Olympics), only recently started playing the sport and has few playing members and Filipinos are hardly regarded as 'large' people.

Im interesting in some feedback on this as, on the face of it, there is little to explain how bad Indian rugby is.

benchmark00 · 13-07-2010, 07:35 PM

India simply failed to get numbers at the break down on the day imo.

duffer · 13-07-2010, 07:52 PM

Nearly choked on my muffin when I saw the thread title. Heh. I'd pay a lot of money to watch Indians playing Rugby.

social · 13-07-2010, 09:19 PM

If India is anything like Hong Kong, Singapore, Arabian Gulf, etc then the standard of their rugby would be very much dependent on the quality of the expat players as they'd make up the majority of the player base

Burgey · 13-07-2010, 09:28 PM

Tipping they kicked more penalty goals tbh.

silentstriker · 13-07-2010, 09:35 PM

Haha there is rugby in India?

Sir Alex · 13-07-2010, 10:01 PM

Ha ha yes. Don't let the 15k fool anyone. Most of them could be armymen or kids playing just for the kicks. I hardly doubt you'd find 200 who take the sport professionally. Hundred times more play kho kho and gilli danda.

We sucking at sports is no new thing. Football is best example.

vcs · 13-07-2010, 10:12 PM

There is a long-standing joke among Indian cricket fans that Indian cricketers are averse to diving and acrobatics on the field because they are afraid of getting their kits dirty*. I think that safely rules out any Indian prowess in rugby.

*Actually, come to think of it, Indian cricketers usually grow up playing on dry grounds without a patch of grass on them, so naturally they rarely produce good fielders.

BoyBrumby · 14-07-2010, 12:14 AM

Years ago when I went to see Leicester Tigers play I remembered reading an article in the match program about a forthcoming friendly between the Tigers and the Indian national team. Was as close as you'd expect.

Think the city of Leicester is a case in point, actually. It's possibly the only major city in the country where union is bigger than football and has a large Indian community but I can't recall one Asian player ever breaking through to the Tigers' team. There just doesn't seem to be the interest there.

The only British Asian to play top flight rugby of either code I can recall is Ikram Butt who actually played league for England. He's of Pakistani rather than Indian extraction tho.

Corli · 14-07-2010, 12:25 AM

IIRC, the Indian national team was in Stellenbosch last year, and lost against a university residence side. The residence in question, Simonsberg, is better known for academic and hockey prowess than rugby. So, no answer on the why, but the Indian rugby team does seem to be pretty bad.

Agent TBY · 14-07-2010, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silentstriker

Haha there is rugby in India?

Do you not remember the hindi movies with the main guy running the entire length of the pitch and scoring a try?

Craig · 14-07-2010, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agent TBY

Do you not remember the hindi movies with the main guy running the entire length of the pitch and scoring a try?

To win the game with 15 seconds remaining. I'm expecting Richie McCaw to make his Bollywood debut sometime in the near future.

biased indian · 14-07-2010, 03:54 AM

ha this has to be the best thread in a while

just goggled and checked our stats

we are ranked 72nd in the world out of 95 teams. currently being coached by South Africans Norman Laker and Henry Marnitz. There are, in total, 17,200 registered rugby players

our biggest win has been aganist Pakistan 92-0 and biggest lose aganist Singapore 0-93

we did took part in the 2007 world cup qualifier lost to Kazakhstan

masterblaster · 14-07-2010, 04:29 AM

Little known fact but the highly acclaimed and respected Bollywood and Independent Film Actor, Rahul Bose represents India in Rugby and for a while was the captain of the Indian Rugby Team.

duffer · 14-07-2010, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biased indian

our biggest win has been aganist Pakistan 92-0

Good god almighty is there a tape of this? A dvd perhaps? I need to see this.

13-07-2010, 07:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
Goughy International Coach Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: All Over Posts: 14,658	Indian Rugby As some of you may know, I am moving to the Philippines. I want to play some rugby -amongst other things- and I have been checking out the sport in the country. There isnt really much to tell. There are about 10 teams, some struggle to have 15 members, they obviously do not have a history in the game and no public interest. They only became a member of the IRB in 2009. The standard clearly isnt great. So it was a suprise to me to read that they won the the HSBC Asian Five Nations Division 2 competition with a 34-12 win over India in New Delhi with a 2000 strong crowd watching. How is that possible? India has over 15 000 players and over 75 clubs. Why is India performing so badly in rugby? It isnt as if the Philippines has a culure of sport (3rd largest nation not to win a single medal in the last Olympics), only recently started playing the sport and has few playing members and Filipinos are hardly regarded as 'large' people. Im interesting in some feedback on this as, on the face of it, there is little to explain how bad Indian rugby is. __________________ If I only just posted the above post, please wait 5 mins before replying as there is bound to be edits West Robham Rabid Wolves Caedere lemma quod eat lemma Happy Birthday! (easier than using Birthday threads) Email and MSN- Goughy at cricketmail dot net Last edited by Goughy; 13-07-2010 at 07:39 PM.

13-07-2010, 07:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
duffer International Coach Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: So appalled... Posts: 11,338	Nearly choked on my muffin when I saw the thread title. Heh. I'd pay a lot of money to watch Indians playing Rugby. __________________ We talking about practice

13-07-2010, 09:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
Burgey Cricket Web Staff Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The Castle Posts: 35,156	Tipping they kicked more penalty goals tbh. __________________ WWCC - Loyaulte Mi Lie "People make me happy.. not places.. people" "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life." - Samuel Johnson "Oh my God, there's a castle! A castle!"

14-07-2010, 12:14 AM	#9 (permalink)
BoyBrumby Englishman Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Doing the stance Posts: 42,658	Years ago when I went to see Leicester Tigers play I remembered reading an article in the match program about a forthcoming friendly between the Tigers and the Indian national team. Was as close as you'd expect. Think the city of Leicester is a case in point, actually. It's possibly the only major city in the country where union is bigger than football and has a large Indian community but I can't recall one Asian player ever breaking through to the Tigers' team. There just doesn't seem to be the interest there. The only British Asian to play top flight rugby of either code I can recall is Ikram Butt who actually played league for England. He's of Pakistani rather than Indian extraction tho. __________________ *- As featured in The Independent.* "This is not the time for namby-pamby promising youngsters who might just do something; not the time for building for the future. Pragmatism rules and they don't come more pragmatic than Rogers." - Victor Marks makes the case for stiff-legged and stiff-armed 35 year old left-handers in Ashes squads

14-07-2010, 03:54 AM	#13 (permalink)
biased indian International Coach Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: office Posts: 10,972	ha this has to be the best thread in a while just goggled and checked our stats we are ranked 72nd in the world out of 95 teams. currently being coached by South Africans Norman Laker and Henry Marnitz. There are, in total, 17,200 registered rugby players our biggest win has been aganist Pakistan 92-0 and biggest lose aganist Singapore 0-93 we did took part in the 2007 world cup qualifier lost to Kazakhstan __________________ Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience. RIP Craigos Avatar Courtesy Indian team that toured England in 2011 & GF

13-07-2010, 09:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
social International Coach Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: AUSTRALIA Posts: 11,078	If India is anything like Hong Kong, Singapore, Arabian Gulf, etc then the standard of their rugby would be very much dependent on the quality of the expat players as they'd make up the majority of the player base

13-07-2010, 10:01 PM	#7 (permalink)
Sir Alex Banned Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Nowhere Posts: 4,793	Ha ha yes. Don't let the 15k fool anyone. Most of them could be armymen or kids playing just for the kicks. I hardly doubt you'd find 200 who take the sport professionally. Hundred times more play kho kho and gilli danda. We sucking at sports is no new thing. Football is best example.

14-07-2010, 12:25 AM	#10 (permalink)
Corli U19 Cricketer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: South Africa Posts: 495	IIRC, the Indian national team was in Stellenbosch last year, and lost against a university residence side. The residence in question, Simonsberg, is better known for academic and hockey prowess than rugby. So, no answer on the why, but the Indian rugby team does seem to be pretty bad.

14-07-2010, 04:29 AM	#14 (permalink)
masterblaster International Captain Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 6,065	Little known fact but the highly acclaimed and respected Bollywood and Independent Film Actor, Rahul Bose represents India in Rugby and for a while was the captain of the Indian Rugby Team. __________________ Self Elected Vice-President of AAAS (Ajit Agarkar Appreciation Society) "Uniting Ajit Agarkar Fans World Wide" Always Live Life With: Intensity, Integrity and Intelligence

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