• Submitted by: admin
• international
• personalities
• Sports
• Personalities
• 03 / 15 / 2010

---

Rugby for seven players is already an Olympic sport; however, it doesn't appear yet officially acknowledged in Cuba, a reality many expect to change this in the briefest of times in this respect the international tournament that gathered teams from several countries in Havana was an excellent first step.  

The exit of baseball from the official program of the Olympics still hurts on the side, because nothing seems more important in the Cuban sport world than baseball; but we must face the fact and look inside that, at least until 2020, baseball will be outside the Olympiads. Its place was occupied by golf and rugby seven, so turning our backs to these modalities doesn't seem as the sensible solution.   

There isn’t much information in Cuba about rugby. Many, even, confuse it with American soccer, maybe due to the huge audiovisual media we receive, from the United States and the scarce coverage rugby receives.

American soccer was practiced  on the island since early in the 20th century and for almost half a century tournaments were organized in which dozens of players participated. Some clubs, like Varsity and Caribes, mostly made of students from the University of Havana, won prestige.   

The traces of American soccer in Cuba faded away in the late 50’s until they vanished for good. Forty years later it’s probable that many were shocked to see on the pitch of the university stadium "Juan Abrantes" a few boys playing something "strange": rugby. In 1993 I think was created the first Cuban team, the Indios Caribe and then other joined like "The Giraldillos", in 1997 and the club "Jose Marti", in 1999.   

Nevertheless, the practice was irregular and it had almost no journalistic coverage. These teams played rugby of 15 players on each side, in a field with the ruled dimensions, which is 100 meters long by 60 meters wide.

The modality demands an excellent physical training to support the intense minutes in the field, the tackles -without rigid protection gears- and races, with the objective of taking the ovoid ball until the opposing scoring line.   

Rugby is a very popular sport in Latin America, especially in Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile; but the modality of 15 players didn't catch the eye of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) because it went against one of the arguments handle to kick baseball out: the number of participants which increased the budgets of the organizing cities.  

Rugby officials decided to present a more attractive proposal: just seven players that is the most suitable format for short tournaments, with a week duration, just what the IOC needed. Besides, the time of the matches of this modality is very inferior to that of 15. While in the so-called rugby union games spread to 80 minutes, in that of seven they just play between 14-20 minutes, another point welcomed by the IOC. There were not obstacles so golf, and rugby seven will be in the next summer event.   

The first international tournament of rugby held in Cuba gathered teams from different countries: Canada, United States, Peru, Mexico, Venezuela, and Cuba. The last three nations presented their national teams.

The debut could be considered as very good for the local boys, because they only lost in the final match.   

Are there possibilities for the development of rugby in Cuba? Everything points to a yes: it’s not expensive, because you just need the ball and as for athletes, they have to be quick and smart to execute the best plays in the field.

These characteristics look very similar to those demanded for soccer and it’s no secret that the most universal of sports falls way behind in the island. Then, why could the situation be different with rugby?   

More than a hundred nations practice rugby; however, the figure cannot be compared with the more than 200 associations affiliated to the powerful International Federation of Football; besides, not in all countries, although they have their federation affiliated rugby is played massively.

It can neither be underrated the well physical training that, in general, show the Cuban sportsmen. They may lack technique and the clash against first-level teams, but you get that with time.   

For the time being, the international tournament was good to present the national team of rugby seven. Under a downpour, the mud, players gave their biggest effort, an effort that we hope sooner than later sees reward with the indispensable official recognition of this sport.

By: Miguel Ernesto Gomez Masjuan   

Source: Cubasi