This is Rugby

By Duncan Magruder

Over the 17th and 18th of January, Dalat International School had the opportunity to participate in its first-ever ISKL Men's Rugby Tournament. Hosted at ISKL, Dalat was able to compete against four different schools, Marlborough, Singapore American School, International School Kuala Lumpur, and Sekolah Menengah Sains Selangor.

Rugby is not just about seeing who can hit the other team the hardest. Although you do need to hit the enemy team with everything you got, it is also crucial to respect them. The common misconception about rugby is that it is played by people who only want to beat up the enemy. Rugby should be perceived as a gentleman's sport. When asked what his favorite part about the tournament was, Nate Croft responded with, "I really enjoyed playing rugby, especially crashing (action is done when the player with the ball runs head-on into the defensive line), but my favorite part about the tournament was just bonding and improving with my teammates."

When one chooses to play rugby with a group of men or women. They do not simply join a team but a brotherhood. That feeling of knowing that the men on your right and left will happily support you as you run head-on into the defenders and will pick you up when you feel like you can't push anymore is something that you can genuinely find in rugby. When Joseph Chandra was asked what he thought about the comradery within rugby, he responded, "The brotherhood in Rugby is unlike any other. I mean, these are the people that you sweat, cry, and bleed with, and I really mean that in the literal sense. We are more than just a team; we are a family. Don't get it twisted."

Rugby is a sport unlike any other. No matter how many times you get knocked down, you have to learn to get back up. There is no time for rest, no opportunities to slack off. You have to keep going every second the clock is running. But the best part about it is that you can always count on your brothers to help you back up.