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The Start
Written by AllBlacksFreak Monday, 26 July 2010 14:57
I left my grandmother’s house and hopped on a taxi towards the Rhinos training camp, with all my bags, sitting eagerly behind on the back seat. The conversation’s always the same with taxi drivers in Jakarta; it’s always about the traffic, and politics. As an athlete in this country, only if you’re a footballer or a badminton player will you be noticed out in the city.
I really couldn’t care much about what the driver’s view on politics or the government is, I could only think of what is going to happen at camp, what I have to do at camp, how I’m going to be selected, and play to win. I start to wonder, who are the new names I read on the training squad list? This year, Indonesia has selected more uncapped players in the squad than ever. A well balanced squad of youth and experienced players make up the Rhinos squad this year.
As the taxi stops at the apartment lobby, I saw two familiar faces, A Rhino we call “the Hitman” who is from Papua, in the eastern side of Indonesia, where they are built more like the Fijians than Asians, and another Rhino who calls himself Kiwi-Indo, who as the name suggests is a kiwi, and after years of living in Indonesia, and made himself eligible to play for Indonesia currently ply his trade in Saudi. There are two more Kiwis in the squad, both as eager and proud to have a chance to represent Indonesia as the next Indonesian Rhino hopeful.
There were 40 selected for the initial squad, then after more selection phase, only 28 made it into the camp, and out of the 28 only 24 will make the Tournament Squad, and only22 will make the game day squad. In the 28, we have 4 Britons with Indonesian heritage; 3 “Kiwi-Indo”; 1 Australian with Indonesian heritage; 2 Indonesians who lives abroad; and 18 Indonesians who plays their rugby in Indonesia. Out of the 10 “imports” 7 made the first test starting XV, and one import didn’t even earn his cap until the second and last test. Indonesian based rugby players have improved in skills, fitness and experience tremendously over the years, thanks to the solid development programs set out by the PRUI (Indonesian Rugby Union).
I'm rooming with a guy who is also from Papua, George is his name, and he is also in the Indonesian 7s squad, called the Harimau (Tiger in Indonesian). Pretty interesting fellow, with an interest in music, and he let everyone know he loves music by playing it pretty loud in our room, perfect.
We all had our first dinner together as a squad, and met up with our new coach, Duncan Hall, an ex-Wallaby, head coach of USA and assistant Coach at Leicester Tigers. It’s such a cheerful mood around the dinner table, all happy to be the best 28 Indonesian Rugby player – in a country of almost 300 million populations – and all competing for the 15 jerseys. Training will be hard, we only have 10 days to train together, and gel as a team, as the Indonesian Rhinos – It all starts by who wants it the most.
Why do we really play for our country?
Written by AllBlacksFreak Monday, 26 July 2010 12:11
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.
Black Day for the Springboks
Written by Bullitt Saturday, 10 July 2010 09:56
The All Blacks sent out a strong message to the rest of the world with a crushing 4-try, 32-12 win over the Springboks at Eden Park.
The opening fixture of the Tri-Nations was expected to be a tight affair, but Graham Hendrys men had other ideas as they put the reigning world champions to the sword and picking up the five pointer.
That's not all the rugby this weekend though as the Currie Cup begins in earnest later as the GWK Griquas take on Natal Sharks to start things off.
Regular rugby is back and TRF is the best place to find it.
Appreciating Both Codes
Written by Olyy Thursday, 08 July 2010 11:17
For some reason there is an “us versus them” mentality within the rugby community, when it comes down to League and Union fans, and I admit I once thought the same. If you were a fan of Union you couldn’t like League, and vice versa. Growing up in the Midlands I dismissed League as something played solely by Northerners and Australians, and with no professional teams anywhere near, and Union clubs like the Tigers, Saints and Warriors right on my doorstep, I was never tempted to stray to the other side.
That is, until I caught the Challenge Cup on TV one weekend and my eyes were opened. It was my first exposure to league, and I couldn’t get enough. It had the hard running and massive hits that I loved so much from Union. I took in as much as I could, watching the rest of the Challenge Cup, the final stages of the Super League and as much NRL as I could get my hands on, all the while cursing myself for ignoring the sport for as long as I had.
It seems odd to me now that I would dismiss Rugby League as something I wouldn’t enjoy. The two codes are similar enough that you could follow both without knowing the ins and outs of each rulebook; yet different enough that it doesn’t all feel the same. The fans share the same heart and passion for their clubs and country, and really, it should all come down to the fact that we all love watching 26-30men chase an egg around a muddy field for 80minutes at a time, each weekend!
This year’s Challenge Cup semi-finals are fast approaching; with powerhouses Saint Helens and Leeds Rhinos facing off on August 7th and underdogs Catalans Dragons taking on last years winners Warrington Wolves on the 8th, with both matches on the BBC, so why not give them a watch? You never know, you might just like it.
DISCUSS THE CHALLENGE CUP IN THE TRF RUGBY LEAGUE FORUM
TRF interview Phil Vickery
Written by Bullitt Wednesday, 07 July 2010 16:29
The Rugby Forum is pleased to present our interview with World Cup winning prop, Phil Vickery!
The England and Lions captain, currently on a nationwide tour of the UK promoting his “Raging Bull” clothing brand in association with Debenhams UK, took time out to answer questions put forward by TRF Members over twitter about various topics including his career, the “Raging Bull” clothing brand, what it takes to be a top level prop and what it felt like flooring Olivier Magne.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW
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