Afghans give rugby a try - and they're converted

Published on Friday 22 April 2011 17:42

THEIR mentoring normally involves passing on the skills and expertise needed to tackle insurgents and deal with improvised explosive devices.

But in the midst of the war zone in Afghanistan, Scots-based Royal Marines have also found time to provide tutoring in line-outs, scrums and drop kicks.

The marines took a break from fighting the Taleban to teach colleagues in the Afghan National Army (ANA) the finer points of rugby union.

Despite the oppressive 30C heat, the Afghans were itching to join the marines for a game to relieve the tension of their pressurised surroundings. The problem was the Afghans had no knowledge of the game, far less being able to play it.

Undeterred, the men from 45 Commando, based in Arbroath, decided to teach them.

Captain Stuart Maccrimmon said: "We work really long days, often in the blazing sun, so it can be really tiring and quite stressful. On the rare occasions we have a bit of spare time, the lads like to have a kickabout or throw the ball around, but we noticed the Afghans were a bit reluctant to join in. I think they were just confused about the rules."

The British troops are working alongside the ANA soldiers to provide security in the Nad-e Ali South area of Helmand. The marines and ANA share a forward operating base (FOB), carry out patrols together and meet with people living nearby.

The commando unit arrived in Afghanistan earlier this month at the start of a six-month tour and will command the Nad-e Ali South area until September.

Capt Maccrimmon and some of the marines decided to train the Afghans so they could join in their rugby sessions. There was no shortage of volunteers from the ANA and over the past few weeks since 45 Commando arrived, the local troops have been getting to grips with the basics of the game.

Such was their speed in picking up the rules, Capt Maccrimmon and his team organised a match between the marines and the ANA soldiers, which took place in the vehicle park at FOB Shawqat. Capt Maccrimmon says it got quite competitive. "The performance of the Afghans impressed us all, especially as they had never played or even watched rugby before," he said.

"At first, we thought we'd better go easy on them but had to change that tactic when we realised how good they were."

Despite all their coaching and determination, the ANA team didn't manage to win the match, although the result was not revealed.

The Ministry of Defence said the sporting contest had further improved relations between the two sets of armed forces. However, in a bid to even the score, the ANA has now challenged the marines to a game of cricket.

In the meantime, the rugby match will help raise money for charity.The shirts worn by the sides will be auctioned in the UK, with the proceeds going to military help groups. The kits were donated by Bath and Wasps, who will meet today in the annual St George's Day game at Twickenham.

Last year, the match raised 50,000 for Help for Heroes, a charity formed to help those who have been wounded in Britain's current conflicts.

It is hoped today's game will raise 100,000 for the British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association, Combat Stress, the Parachute Regiment Charity and the Special Boat Service Association.

Army spread sport across the world

THE British Army has helped develop sport all over the world.

Interest in rugby is said to have grown thanks to regiments stationed throughout the British Empire who had teams that played locally. The Calcutta Cup, the oldest trophy in international rugby, began with the 3rd (East Kent) Regiment and the 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's), who were supporters of the Calcutta Club in India.

British Army officers discovered polo in 1850 in India and took it back to Europe and westwards. Officers also learned a game in India called poona, which developed into badminton.

Cricket was popularised in India by British settlers, and British soldiers took the game to South Africa in the mid-19th century.

The early years of football in India came about much in the same way as cricket, when the British Raj held exhibition games.

Table tennis was played in the early 1880s by British officers stationed in India and South Africa, supposedly using cigar box lids as bats, rounded wine bottle corks as balls and books as a net.

Servicemen are said to have taken modern field hockey to India and formed the first clubs in Calcutta in 1885.