The Get Into Rugby (GIR) mass-participation programme, which has been enjoying so much success around the globe, chalked up a significant victory for the game recently as a team of GIR graduates from Pakistan traveled to south-west London to take part in the world-famous Rosslyn Park HSBC National Schools Sevens tournament.
The event claims to be the world’s largest school rugby tournament and has been an important part of the English rugby calendar since its formation in 1939. But this year, for the very first time, the competition welcomed the ‘Angles International’ under-16s team from Faisalabad in eastern Pakistan (pictured above at the tournament).
The 10 players who made the 17-hour trip to the event, which is located close to England rugby’s iconic international stadium at Twickenham, had previously been introduced to the game through GIR, which is currently taking the schools system there by storm. Most of the boys had only been playing the game for a few short months.
The tournament featured more than 7,000 boys and girls aged from 13 to 18 years old with 636 teams taking part in 2,275 fixtures being played on 25 rugby pitches.
Khuram Haroon, GIR co-ordinator in Pakistan, said: “The ‘Angles’ were all kitted out in their Get Into Rugby-branded jerseys and they felt immensely proud every time their school name was announced over the tournament PA system. They didn’t have any victories on the pitch but they won the hearts of all their spectators and opponents by never giving up. They showed the determination and passion required to be successful and I have no doubt this is only the start for them.
“As many of them are only 14 years old, they are going to train harder and they are already looking forward to coming back again next year. And I think their story will inspire the 4,300 boys and girls who have been attending GIR trainings and festivals across Pakistan.”
Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens has a long history of being a training ground for future stars of the game and it would be no surprise if many future England – and Pakistan – internationals were performing at this year’s tournament.