Rugby can be a Friends for Life maker.
Ask any old rugby war horse, they'll tell you.
Some of the most enduring friendships ever made were made on the pitch.
Well, actually off the pitch ............. I don't need to paint you a picture, do I?
Go to any rugby tournament, spot someone else wearing a jersey you recognise (club or country) - there's that imperceptible nod, a thread of connection. And then you carry on, to the beer tent. Not always. But, let's face it, Usually.
Trousers said to me once, "Wherever you go. If there is a rugby club, you'll find a mate. Well, at least someone to have a beer with."
He was actually lamenting how hard it can be, for men in particular, to make friends when you move country. Unless you play rugby.
He has given up playing (see above 'Old Rugby War Horse' reference) & misses it hugely.
His body doesn't though.
His body has been yelling at the top of its voice "for Christ's sake!!!! Just LEAVE ME ALONE would you???
Me, I've alllllllways loved rugby. Started at school, watching our school team (incidentally the same team that the Old Rugby War Horse started his campaign - although, back then, he was a fair-haired, mullet-sporting, think Crockett from Miami Vice, lanky thing).
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| Just thought you should see of the wavy hair I was referring to! |
I think it is fair to say, we are a Rugby Household
So, it seemed logical that we should see whether The Boy would show any interest in it.
He had shown some vague interest when we had it on telly.
Last October we were told of a club, Christina Noble Children Foundation's Arabian Knights, that had an Under 6 team.
First of all, & this will be the least 'rugby' thing you will ever hear me say ...... "SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET"!!!! Teeny weeny 5 year olds doing rugby. Gorgeous.
So, off we go to see what he thought of it all. There was lots of "well, if He doesn't like it, that's fine. He doesn't have to like rugby". We were adamant, there was to be nooooooo pressure. None. None at all.
Nope. None.
In fact, we convinced ourselves it wasn't for him before he even got in the car.
Turns out, it is.
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| Picking up an award at the end of his 1st ever rugby season |
He loves it. Whether he actually loves rugby or he loves playing with his rugby mates, remains to be seen.
But, he DOES love hanging out with the other teeny weeny rugby ponies (early rugby equestrian campaigners).
And here's the thing - a thing we did not expect ..... WE found ourselves in a team TOO!!!!?
Honest to goodness, without even setting foot on the pitch, the grown ups have seemingly formed a team of our own.
The kids are a great set of kids, by & large. The parents, ditto.
It struck me when I mentioned to someone how late & strongly 'beveraged' our nights out with the other 'grown-ups' have been. "Yeah, well," was the response "Not surprising I guess, rugby people n'all that".
Funny how it hadn't really occurred to me but, yes, there WAS a high probability that people who would feel positive enough about the sport to encourage their children to do it WERE likely to have similar mindsets.
Expat Life CAN make it hard to make friends. Sometimes the transient nature of expatdom makes it hard to form strong genuine bonds. After a while, you kind of stop bothering. The turnover of good friends made is unpleasantly high. It is easy & often necessary to make lots of acquaintances but I suspect everyone recognises those connections for what they are.
But, good friendships with people who you are confident you'd be friends with, whatever country, whatever circumstance. Those can be hard to find, anywhere.
And so, it looks like rugby has done it again for us.
It has brought us good people. Funny people. Fun people. Real people. Friend people.
The rugby season is over here in Dubai (40+ degrees C does tend to stop most things) but we are already looking forward to the start of the Arabian Knights' (now) Under 7s season.
Is it wrong that we are pondering the opportunity for a tour??????
