...has a hold on me and I can't get enough of it!
You see, I'm traveling to Lebanon on Friday and as I made a note of things to do, I started to panic. Oh em gee! I am traveling on Friday but the RWC final is on Sunday. Where the heck am I going to get coverage? Where am I going to watch it? Do they have good internet connections so I can watch it online? Do they even know what rugby is over there? What's the time difference? Maybe they have a sports bar? OMG OMG OMG! What am I going to dooooooooo!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!!?!?!??!?!?!
Yeah. Don't ask.
ANYHOO, I calmed down and did the most sensible thing to do. I googled rugby in Lebanon and tada! I found the Lebanon Rugby Union's website (Aleluia! they play the game of gods!). I emailed them for help AND I figured out the time difference. Lucky, it's at a decent hour i.e. I don't have to go out in the middle of the night in full body armour and an AK47 just to watch it.
So after averting that little crisis, I paused and thought; Damn, I'm TOTALLY addicted to rugby... how in the world did I end up here?
And the answer is fairly simple. My father. By the time I was born, he had captained the national rugby team, captained the first Samoan team to play in the Hong Kong 7s taking them to the semi-finals and got selected into the NZ Barbarians team to name a few things. He eventually became the first CEO of thenow embattled SRU and managed the Manu Samoa for part of the 90s.
To say that he loved rugby is a huge understatement.
Due to his work we moved around a fair bit and he got involved in the rugby scene wherever we lived - from England to France to Fiji to Switzerland and of course, in Samoa. So as we grew up, rugby was part of our everyday life. My sisters and I watched rugby matches of all kinds - international, national, provincial and local both on TV and live. Anything to do with rugby, we were there cheering, taking water or holding on to the jerseys or running around doing errands for the team.....we more or less took up the roles of the sons he never had and we did so with so much gusto!
I also realized that we learnt a lot about life from rugby. Personally, I learnt about teamwork, honour, about heart and even about family. When Dad was manager, I was about 14/15 years old. The guys in the team (bless their hearts) treated me like their little sister and always looked out for me. As the eldest of three girls, having "big brothers" was a novelty and knowing they had my back was the coolest thing ever!!! But on the flips side, I was introduced to some of the not so pretty realities of life thanks to rugby. While they were in Samoa, I met one of the players' wives who was absolutely lovely. A couple of days later, I saw that same player leave the hotel with another woman and she was definitely not a sister!!! Imagine my horror when I realized he was cheating on his wife. The picture of marriage being the be all and end all for everyone, was torn to pieces that very moment. These are just a few examples of what I observed...
Looking back, I am so thankful for the passion my dad instilled in us for this sport. It's given me many opportunities - mainly to connect with people, to go places and I think what I love most about it, is the bond you create with others because of that one thing - your mutual love of rugby.
And with that, I better sign off or else you'll be dripping with cheesiness lol but one last cheesy note (I promise) I am so glad that as I continue to travel, I get to share this passion of mine and I guess... share what my dad passed on.
Thanks Dad. Rest in our love always Dad :)
Update (18th October): The Lebanese rugby people replied this morning and welcomed me to their rugby pub!!!! Who woulda thought I'd be watching the RWC final in Beirut with other rugby fanatics! That's what I'm talking about... ONE LOVE!
Yeah. Don't ask.
ANYHOO, I calmed down and did the most sensible thing to do. I googled rugby in Lebanon and tada! I found the Lebanon Rugby Union's website (Aleluia! they play the game of gods!). I emailed them for help AND I figured out the time difference. Lucky, it's at a decent hour i.e. I don't have to go out in the middle of the night in full body armour and an AK47 just to watch it.
So after averting that little crisis, I paused and thought; Damn, I'm TOTALLY addicted to rugby... how in the world did I end up here?
And the answer is fairly simple. My father. By the time I was born, he had captained the national rugby team, captained the first Samoan team to play in the Hong Kong 7s taking them to the semi-finals and got selected into the NZ Barbarians team to name a few things. He eventually became the first CEO of the
To say that he loved rugby is a huge understatement.
Due to his work we moved around a fair bit and he got involved in the rugby scene wherever we lived - from England to France to Fiji to Switzerland and of course, in Samoa. So as we grew up, rugby was part of our everyday life. My sisters and I watched rugby matches of all kinds - international, national, provincial and local both on TV and live. Anything to do with rugby, we were there cheering, taking water or holding on to the jerseys or running around doing errands for the team.....we more or less took up the roles of the sons he never had and we did so with so much gusto!
I also realized that we learnt a lot about life from rugby. Personally, I learnt about teamwork, honour, about heart and even about family. When Dad was manager, I was about 14/15 years old. The guys in the team (bless their hearts) treated me like their little sister and always looked out for me. As the eldest of three girls, having "big brothers" was a novelty and knowing they had my back was the coolest thing ever!!! But on the flips side, I was introduced to some of the not so pretty realities of life thanks to rugby. While they were in Samoa, I met one of the players' wives who was absolutely lovely. A couple of days later, I saw that same player leave the hotel with another woman and she was definitely not a sister!!! Imagine my horror when I realized he was cheating on his wife. The picture of marriage being the be all and end all for everyone, was torn to pieces that very moment. These are just a few examples of what I observed...
Looking back, I am so thankful for the passion my dad instilled in us for this sport. It's given me many opportunities - mainly to connect with people, to go places and I think what I love most about it, is the bond you create with others because of that one thing - your mutual love of rugby.
And with that, I better sign off or else you'll be dripping with cheesiness lol but one last cheesy note (I promise) I am so glad that as I continue to travel, I get to share this passion of mine and I guess... share what my dad passed on.
Thanks Dad. Rest in our love always Dad :)
Update (18th October): The Lebanese rugby people replied this morning and welcomed me to their rugby pub!!!! Who woulda thought I'd be watching the RWC final in Beirut with other rugby fanatics! That's what I'm talking about... ONE LOVE!
3 comments :
le mafai a lou fia vaai i le makou au o le olopeleki a ea? lol....very nice entry...you're more keyed in then most of my friends who advocate that they are die hard rugby fanaticals.....Hope you enjoy the final..I know who you'll be going for.....I'd call yah to console yah but I know you're one tough cookie hehehe......have a safe trip....
It's refreshing to see a female rugby fan who is actually more interested in rugby than rugby shorts.
...
Random Rugby Lesson #245: You win some, you lose some.
\m/
aua ke pesto eh. Your interest in rugby is to do with a certain Richie... Sambora??! oish sorry wrong number LMAO!
i would so support you if you want to run for a place at the SRU :)
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