The Art of Rugby

I met a lot Nigerians living in London during my time there and I was always struck at how they seemed to be walking advertisements for the non-integration of immigrant communities.

Some of them had lived in the United Kingdom for years and had never been to see a West End play. Or hardly glanced up at the Tower of London when driving past. Or been to Baker street to imagine Conan Doyle's greatest character striding along to his residence. Or residents of Edinburgh who have never been to a comedy festival.

Or the ultimate sin, never been to watch a live football game.

Ok there are a lot of native Londoners who have never done any of these things either but the point is that when you live in the 10th most liveable city in the world, (and here I am back to myself now) there are some things you shouldn't take for granted.

Like Rugby.

Anyone who knows me even slightly knows I am a football buff. I watch, I follow and now I even play. Which is why living in NZ isnt exactly nirvana. How do I put this delicately...well... NZ is completely Rugby mad. It is the number one sport in the country and is played at all levels by various people of different ages.

The ultimate pinnacle of playing Rugby in NZ is to one day pull on a black jersy and play for the eponymously named NZ rugby team, the All Blacks. Rated as one of the top three teams (if not the top) in the world at any time, NZ is considered to have a proud history of rugby playing teams.

And of having won only one world cup trophy. The inagural edition hosted by NZ in 1987. Despite dominating the rankings in between the show piece events since then, NZ has acquired the tag of 'chokers'. They seem unable to win the World Cup despite going into every single tournament as "favorites".

But anyway, come September 9, the world (such as it is) will be coming to NZ as New Zealand hosts the Rugby World Cup. South Africa, Australia, England, France are the established heavy weights. But countries like Italy, Argentina, Scotland, Tonga, Samoa and Canada will be aiming to cause upsets.

So considering the fact that a major sporting tournament is coming to New Zealand, isn't it pitiful that I dont even know the rules of the game? Well... I know how points are scored and what the overall objective of the game is (to win), I still find myself turning to my workmates asking why the referee is pointing in the opposite direction the ball is kicked.

So my task over the next month, apart from getting into the spirit of the RWC is to learn the rules and nitty gritty of the game of rugby. By the time the All Blacks captain Richie McCaw hoists the cup on the final day, I want to be able to explain the game to all my northern hemisphere friends who dont care that Sonny Bill Williams will probably leave New Zealand next year.

PS
First post in ten months. What a loser!