Why do we really play for our country?

[Olyy]

It's a good read that blog,
More of the same please, allblacksfreak

[Charles]

Good read. Some of us, imcluding me, would give an arm to don the national jersey. You're a very lucky man ABF.

[allblacksfreak]

Thank you fellas, keep those comments coming, I see that the second part has been posted, more are on the way, provided that I have nothing much to do at work!

[lucky number 7]

Great read ..I have played regional but never have and probably never will represent my countrty i can only imagine the immense pride you feel congratulations and please keep the blogs coming

[Bullitt]

As I was standing on the check in counter queue, waiting to check in for my Qatar Airways flight to Jakarta, someone grabbed my attention with her hand waving calling me to her empty counter. To my pleasant surprise, I knew her from a few days ago, at an Indonesian expat gathering. “You’re flying back to Jakarta?� She said, as she browses through my passport and the printed e-ticket. “Yea, going back for the Rugby� I replied, and as quickly as I said that she gave me a look, filled with questions and she burst out “Oh right, you play Rugby for our country right!? Let me upgrade you to Business Class then.�

That flight was excellent; I opted to stay with my grandma for a few days before reporting in for the Rhinos Rugby camp. I haven’t been in Indonesia for about a year, and for that whole year I’ve been thinking about this moment, the moment when I will, once again don the Rhinos jersey, playing for my beloved country.
Unlike the big rugby nations, Indonesian Rugby is not even fully recognized by the government, privately funded and runs on volunteer force and purely by the love of the game by people who are new to the game as well as veterans of the beautiful game.

Indonesian Rugby first burst out on the International scene in the summer of 2005 when the “Indonesian Development Rugby� fielded the first representative side at an Asian Games 7s tournament in Manila, Philippines. I was fortunate to be called up for the first ever Indonesian XVs in 2006, earning my first 3 caps for Indonesia that year.

The Indonesian XVs, or the Rhinos as we call it, has players travelling from all over the world, from the shores of USA, UK, Middle East to Australia and New Zealand, all either full Indonesian like myself or Indonesian heritage players, meeting with our Indonesian brothers who plays their rugby in Indonesia and all just as hungry for the Rhinos spot as us “imports� as we are so aptly named.

Being financially inclined, it is impossible for the Rhinos to fund all of their player’s transportation costs, “imports� are never paid, and travel at their own expenses to every camp, and with no guarantee that they will make the squad. Yet we still travel back, and in my case this year, skipping three weeks of college work in the process.

Then why do we really play for our country? For me, the answer is simple, the feeling I experience every second I wear that jersey on the field, and when I stood in line, side by side by my brothers singing the anthem, is so satisfying, so platonic, so addictive – all this added to the feelings most of us reading this know well enough as we play Rugby on the field. This combination makes it a feeling, an experience that is impossible to describe, no matter what the result is.

I must say I cannot relate to what O’Gara of Ireland was talking about when he said this: "I was happy to go and give it all but I didn't play well against the All Blacks, and Ireland didn't play well, so you're watching for the rest of the tour and you feel like it's a bit of a waste of time. But you have to take your medicine when it comes to you."

I think quite sadly, for some just the pride and that indescribable experience is not enough anymore.

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[Cymro]

Great article pal!