Rugby fever grips Kolkata,Spitfires lend helping hand

The increased enthusiasm is definitely a positive for Indian rugby. But there is a bigger picture,which appears to be far more important. A group of people has been using the sport to improve the quality of life of hundreds of city children. And now the RAF has joined hands in the endeavour.

The RAF team,known as the Spitfires,came to the city last September to help local children,most of them underprivileged,learn the game. This time they have sent a 17-member squad led by Rory Wood.

The Spitfires will support the work and activities of ‘Khelo Rugby’ — a sports development programme run by city club Jungle Crows — during their eight-day tour.

“We are very happy to be able to take part in the programme. If through rugby we can help a group of children live a better life,then that will be a big satisfaction for all of us,” Wood told The Indian Express.

The man from Middlesbrough,who works as a flight lieutenant for the RAF,is pretty impressed with what he has seen so far in Kolkata. “First of all this is a beautiful city. The hospitality is great and I am impressed with the standard of rugby here. The hand-eye coordination of some of the kids is really exceptional. A lot of people back in England don’t have that kind of hand-eye coordination. Our idea is to promote the game here and we have taken a 10-year programme. Rugby,like all other team sports,teaches team spirit. And it removes social barriers,” he said.

“For us it’s challenging. It’s very much out of our comfort zone. The weather is a problem. Also,not all the children understand English well. We are using sign language to help them and they are picking it up. Definitely it’s an experience we all would like to savour,” he said.

Khelo Rugby was started by the Jungle Crows two years ago to take their passion for sport into the lives of children who would not normally get the chance to play the game. The programme is led by Jungle Crows captain Zaffar Khan and today it has regular rugby coaching in eight disadvantaged communities across the city,and also a fledgling programme in Chennai. Khan says the boys and girls are very receptive to the training.

Indeed,youngsters like Arjun,Bheem,Raj,Cathy,Chini and others,who had a kickabout with the RAF players at the Rangers Club ground today,are enjoying a new beginning.

“We faced various difficulties in bringing these children under our programme. Their parents are mostly slum dwellers and they wanted their children to go begging or work as servants. Those who have joined now want to make a career in rugby,” Khelo Rugby programme manager Abhishek Singh said. He hopes that spending time with the Spitfires will make the children more interested.

Meanwhile,as Rugby Sevens is going to be an official Olympic event from 2016,Brigadier Brian McCall,the defence adviser at the British High Commission in New Delhi and a former rugby player for Ireland,believes it will make the game popular in India. “The game is growing in India and its inclusion in Olympics will hopefully make it a TV sport in this part of the world. More youngsters will be interested,” said McCall,who is participating in some of the events.