Indian team ready to take on the best in Asia

Our preparation to get here took us half way across the sub-continent. The Indian team’s last 35 days has gone about like this: Three weeks of the training in the monsoon, mugginess of Bombay and Calcutta. It was followed by 10 days in Sri Lanka where we trained in Colombo under former rugby international Chandrikashan `Shan’ Perera and former international rugby referee SW Chang in conditions warmer and muggier, if that’s ever possible, than Mumbai.

Shan was the physical trainer of the Sri Lankan cricket team. Hopefully, he found us a fitter side than that one. Our first game as an Indian side, albeit unofficially, was against a SriLankan Invitational XV comprising eight former Sri Lankan internationals. We won 27-22 after having led 22-7 at half time. We deserved to have our backs kicked for the way we switched off in the second-half.

The next move was upcountry to Sink in some high altitude training at 5000 feet. Let me pause for a bit: Sri Lanka is gorgeous and the air is clean, the people are friendly and most magically, it seems to contain every geographical wonder within five to seven hours of driving — hills beaches, temples, tea garden and resorts.

Back to rugby — it was training, training and the inevitable match after, where we beat a combined planters side of Dickoya and Dimbula 22-17.

And so, finally onto the first day of the Asians in Singapore. It started with Chinese Taipei downing Hong Kong 32-12 in Pool A and Malaysia edging out China 32-25 in Pool B.

The next Pool B game between hosts Singapore and Thailand erupted in controversy when Thailand refused to play alleging that the host had more expatriate playersthan the stipulated amount (three). The jury is still out on what the powers that be will decide. The marquee game of the evening was a Pool A blockbuster between Japan and Korea which the former won with some to spare. The Korean forwards stamped their authority early in the first half only to fade away in the second losing 12-40.

After working out for about four hours today, in sultry Singapore we are confident the same won’t happen to us when we play our first game against Singapore on Monday night.

A point of information here: The winners of Pool A will represent Asia in the World Cup ’99 and the winners of Pool B will be declared the Asian Champions.

In conclusion, it has been a fantastic start to the championship, with 10,000 fans, a floodlit stadium, the international press and a posse of Harley-Davidson bikers who paraded the various national flags.

Rahul Bose, a member of the Indian rugby team is also an actor and model.