I’ve been disheartened with professional Rugby of late. Questions over the rules, bickering between governing bodies, pay disputes and poor field performances by Australia’s national and provincial teams have left me frustrated and angered.
I love Union and always will, but that passion has waned lately.
I needed to find the game I grew up with; with all its complexities and the simple mantra of ‘do it for the team and the love of the game’.
On a day when I could have headed to the pub to watch the razzle dazzle of the AFL Grand Final or ventured out to the SFS to watch the Shute Shield Grand Final, I decided to watch the Australian schoolboys match versus Tonga schoolboys in Sydney to rekindle my love for Rugby.
With a crowd of around 2,000 spectators, a brilliantly clear yet cool sunny day, I found the game I love.
The Australian boys stood in a prefect line awaiting the national anthems, the Tonga boys knelt and chanted a prayer and then the game began.
Sweeping back line moves, and hard committed defence typified the game. With less than 10 kicks in general play during the match, it was sheer unadulterated running Rugby at its best.
The referee let the game flow and only became noticeable during one 15 minute period after halftime when the Australians lost composure and gave away a multitude of penalties. The players and what they did was centre stage.
The Tongans were outplayed to the tune of 83-18 with 13 tries to 2. But the score and who won was irrelevant. The crowd was entertained, not by the score but by the flow of the game. The set pieces and the scrum were not a feature of the game, but they rarely are at schoolboy level, but the ferocious contest at the breakdown and the athleticism and speed of the backline was mesmerising.
I chose not to comment on who in the Australian team excelled and impressed, but I will say what was on offer was encouraging for the future. Although the majority of the team were made up of NSW and QLD schools, schools from the ACT, WA and Victoria were represented, and these weren’t token selections.
These boys played with passion and commitment. They were playing for the jersey. This match is part of a selection game to make the Australian team to play New Zealand. Most schoolboys only ever get one shot at playing for Australia against the New Zealand schoolboys and it showed. At the end of the game, the players were spent; they had given it their all.
The game was fun, I’m certain it was enjoyable to play. There were Wallabies sitting in the crowd. I hope the game rekindled in them the desire to enjoy the game again.
So in the end, it wasn’t a piece of silverware or a slick marketing campaign that helped me ‘find’ Rugby, it was a group of dedicated teenagers.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
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