Jakarta to hosts 10-a-side rugby
Jakarta to hosts 10-a-side rugby
JAKARTA (JP): Rugby teams from all over Asia will converge on the International Sports Complex Indonesia (ISCI) in Ciputat, South Jakarta, to battle it out in the Carlsberg-British Airways 10-A-Side Rugby Tournament tomorrow.
The game of 10-a-side rugby combines the fast pace of 7s, made famous in Hong Kong, with the hard-hitting action of the traditional 15-a-side game, the world championships of which are currently being contested in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is the only rugby tournament in the country, and since rugby will be featured in the next Southeast Asian Games, it is seen as an excellent opportunity to introduce the dynamic game to Indonesians.
Now in its fifth year, the tournament has become a fixture on the Asian rugby calender. This year's competition has attracted 12 teams from place as diverse as Hong Kong and Irian Jaya.
The action gets under way at 9:00 a.m. with Valley, from Hong Kong, taking on a group of seasoned players assembled into the Jakarta RFC, one of five teams from Indonesia in the tournament. Jakarta RFC will then play the Bucks from Singapore. Bandung will make the trip north and will see their first action against the Singapore Cricket Club, the rivals of host ISCI and always a strong team. ISCI, last year's runner-up in the Cup final, will start the day against a select team from the Freeport mines in Irian Jaya.
"I think ISCI will be in there with a good chance because it is our home ground so there is a wide selection of local players to field," Louis Young, the captain of ISCI, commented. He added that the team recently proved itself by winning the Plate at the Manila 10s on March 18 and making it into the Bowl finals at the hotly contested Hong Kong 10s a week later.
Two other select teams, last year's Cup winners Cathay and Delany's, both from Hong Kong, are the tournament favorites. Cathay will test the resolve of Borneo, a team comprised of oilmen from Balikpapan and Sangatta in Kalimantan, early in the tournament. ISCI will be watching how Irian Jaya handles Delany's, reportedly buoyed by seven international players, before its own noon showdown with the strong team.
Brunei Yacht Club and Panaga, both from Brunei Darussalam, will have their work cut out for them when they enter the competition against the already tested Borneo and Bandung, respectively.
Each of the 18 scheduled games will be divided into two halves of eight minutes. The Plate and Cup finals, however, will run 10 minutes each way.
The teams have been divided into four pools. The winners of individual pools will play the runner-up of a different pool in the quarter finals to gain a berth in either the consolation Plate semi-finals or the Cup semi-finals. The Plate final will begin at 4:20 p.m. with the Cup final following at 5:00 p.m.
About 350 to 400 players and spectators are expected to attend the one day event. A reception at the club on Saturday night will feature live telecasts of World Cup rugby matches. (jmw)