The introduction
Rugby was brought to Asia by the imperialist British, when the empire where the Sun never set ruled the roost in and around the Asian Continent during the late 18th century, and thereafter for about one and a half centuries.
It was imperative with the rapid popularity of Rugby in the United Kingdom and thereafter into Europe that it would take firmer roots in the Asian Continent too, it did but not with the same fervor and was generally restricted to the expatriate British and other Europeans, rather than encompass the local populace too.
The turn of the mid 20th century saw the British relinquishing their political power in the Asian region and leaving the affairs of Rugby administration with the locals and in fact the retreat by the British was sudden which was felt quite alarmingly in whatever sports that they brought to the region.
Grinding slowly forwards
Rugby slowly lifted its head and with interest in the sports at very low ebb due to the non inclusion of the general local populace the new administrators had to fill this vast volume by generating the sufficient interest to rake in the locals.
It is now more than a half century and the local populace in the region has still to grasp the game of Rugby and this is seen quite evidently with the “Rugby World Cup” which is a four year spectacle still having only Japan the lone Asian team in the tournament.
Though Asia boasts of more than half of what the whole world could muster in terms of population to have just one team in such as world spectacle as the “Rugby World Cup” does not speak well for the game of Rugby or for the administrators who are trying to promote it around the world.
The need to step up
Like the slow turning bullock cartwheels in Asia, the game of Rugby was to a certain extent given a dose of adrenaline when the Asian Rugby Football Association was formed in 1968 and subsequently renamed as Asia Rugby.
Asia Rugby has thirty one members and has the clout to bring the game of Rugby to the fore but the wheels are turning ever so slowly and at the speed that the administrative wheels are turning it would be another half century or so when Asia could proudly stand beside other Rugby playing nations in the West as an equal partner.
The sheer audacity of the whole situation is that Asia has the finances and the human resources but probably lacks in playing skills which could be obtained by two of Rugby’s prominent giants, Australia and New Zealand just waiting to be called to help, right under the Asian Continent.
A golden opportunity
The advent of the most looked forward to Rugby event in the world, the “Rugby World Cup”, scheduled to be staged in Asia for the first time with Japan due to host it in a glittering spectacle end of 2019, it is an appropriate time for this part of the world to make its indelible mark on the international Rugby scene, and all Rugby lovers hope that Asia would grasp the opportunity with both hands.
