Maximum city's secret sport
The world of sport may be looking dismal for cricket buffs what with Dhoni's boys having a hard time in England. But there is a pocket of enthusiasts in the city, in fact, the world over, for whom sport could not appear more exciting than now—after all they've waited four years for this moment. The rugby world cup has begun, and Mumbai's aficionados couldn't be more delighted.
World cup fervour for rugby hardly rivals the cricket world cup frenzy but that is also because the game, like most sports in India, is overshadowed by our fanatical obsession with the latter. Increasingly over the years, FIFA has managed to excite the city enough to shake off its perennial partiality to bat and ball, and this year rugby is looking to evoke similar sentiment.
After all, as every rugby follower will tell you, it is returning to its origin, the place which hosted the first world cup, the place which harbours the number one ranked team in the world, New Zealand, home to the mighty All Blacks.
There is also happily, and coincidentally, the fact that Mumbai is also currently in the thick of Rugby activity — the city is hosting the All India-South Asia tournament, which began Saturday. The top eight teams in the country are vying for the title of national division one club champion. Rugby supporters in the city are a tight group, and fiercely loyal to the game. After all, the city has enjoyed 125 years of Rugby, a figure equalled only by Kolkata, where the CCFC (Calcutta Cricket and Football Club) hosted India's first game. Earlier viewed as an elite sport, the inclusion of an Indian team in last year's now-controversial Commonwealth Games is not the only way this belief is gradually being dispersed. Those involved are passionate about the sport, passionate enough to increase its reach. From being a sport confined to clubs, it now boasts some formidable talent from across the country, including the army, which has multiple teams, as also, various states. In Maharashtra, the Maharashtra and the Mumbai Police teams in fact have a more than 70 year tradition of playing rugby. NGO teams have also been instrumental in taking the game to the masses. Not to mention tomorrow's talent, as more than 150 schools across the country include rugby in their activities. Though, as in the case of most sport excluding cricket, getting together this year's tournament has been rather an uphill journey. Originally scheduled to be played in Chennai, it is now finally Mumbai that's hosting the All India, at the Bombay Gymkhana.
For those emotionally invested in the game, the venue hardly matters, it is the thrill of the sport. A body bruising game as wives and girlfriends of rugby players would attest (I would know, I'm one), a contact sport that can be so punishing, it's right up there on the list of dangerous 'blood sport'. But I have yet to see a team sport that fosters such bonding amidst teammates, perhaps because of all the rough housing, more than in spite of it.
And it is dramatic enough. The aforementioned All Blacks have a war dance before every game, the Haka, and it's mighty impressive. Reason enough to stay glued to television an estimated global audience of over 4 billion when they play. Or then, as aficionados in the city are doing, reason enough to hop across to the Bombay Gymkhana to cheer our city team at the national level. Because, they too have their own war cry before the game. But you don't need to know the battle call — to support Maximum City's secret sport you only need to be one with its towering spirit.
The world of sport may be looking dismal for cricket buffs what with Dhoni's boys having a hard time in England. But there is a pocket of enthusiasts in the city, in fact, the world over, for whom sport could not appear more exciting than now—after all they've waited four years for this moment. The rugby world cup has begun, and Mumbai's aficionados couldn't be more delighted.
World cup fervour for rugby hardly rivals the cricket world cup frenzy but that is also because the game, like most sports in India, is overshadowed by our fanatical obsession with the latter. Increasingly over the years, FIFA has managed to excite the city enough to shake off its perennial partiality to bat and ball, and this year rugby is looking to evoke similar sentiment.
After all, as every rugby follower will tell you, it is returning to its origin, the place which hosted the first world cup, the place which harbours the number one ranked team in the world, New Zealand, home to the mighty All Blacks.
There is also happily, and coincidentally, the fact that Mumbai is also currently in the thick of Rugby activity — the city is hosting the All India-South Asia tournament, which began Saturday. The top eight teams in the country are vying for the title of national division one club champion. Rugby supporters in the city are a tight group, and fiercely loyal to the game. After all, the city has enjoyed 125 years of Rugby, a figure equalled only by Kolkata, where the CCFC (Calcutta Cricket and Football Club) hosted India's first game. Earlier viewed as an elite sport, the inclusion of an Indian team in last year's now-controversial Commonwealth Games is not the only way this belief is gradually being dispersed. Those involved are passionate about the sport, passionate enough to increase its reach. From being a sport confined to clubs, it now boasts some formidable talent from across the country, including the army, which has multiple teams, as also, various states. In Maharashtra, the Maharashtra and the Mumbai Police teams in fact have a more than 70 year tradition of playing rugby. NGO teams have also been instrumental in taking the game to the masses. Not to mention tomorrow's talent, as more than 150 schools across the country include rugby in their activities. Though, as in the case of most sport excluding cricket, getting together this year's tournament has been rather an uphill journey. Originally scheduled to be played in Chennai, it is now finally Mumbai that's hosting the All India, at the Bombay Gymkhana.
For those emotionally invested in the game, the venue hardly matters, it is the thrill of the sport. A body bruising game as wives and girlfriends of rugby players would attest (I would know, I'm one), a contact sport that can be so punishing, it's right up there on the list of dangerous 'blood sport'. But I have yet to see a team sport that fosters such bonding amidst teammates, perhaps because of all the rough housing, more than in spite of it.
And it is dramatic enough. The aforementioned All Blacks have a war dance before every game, the Haka, and it's mighty impressive. Reason enough to stay glued to television an estimated global audience of over 4 billion when they play. Or then, as aficionados in the city are doing, reason enough to hop across to the Bombay Gymkhana to cheer our city team at the national level. Because, they too have their own war cry before the game. But you don't need to know the battle call — to support Maximum City's secret sport you only need to be one with its towering spirit.
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