Eight months ago, Prashant Rajawat had touched a rugby ball by no means, not to mention contemplated playing the game. His wearing hobby in his domestic us of an India changed into volleyball, while many of his countrymen obsessed over cricket and hockey. Rugby isn’t always on a lot of humans on India’s radar, and Rajawat’s reference to rugby was restricted to stumbling across the amazing youtube clip. However, while he shifted to Invercargill the last yr to look at game and exercise at the Southern Institute of Technology, rugby has suddenly become more visible.
The 25 12 months vintage turned into keenness to immerse himself in the New Zealand tradition, and that included attempting his hand at the united states of america’s most high-profile recreation. A communique with former Stags participant Keanu Kahukura sparked Rajawat’s hobby in taking over rugby this 12 months. Kahukura and Rajawat are classmates at SIT, and Kahukura invited him alongside to the Marist Rugby Club. Unfortunately, it has led to a rugby crash path as Rajawat makes the transition from by no means touching a rugby ball to the Marist B group’s left-winger. However, it turned into for the Marist B team, in its pre-season game against Pirates-Old Boys a fortnight ago, in which Rajawat got his first taste of rugby in a recreation state of affairs.
To cap off the event he scored a strive in that first trip. “I think I got fortunate, beginners success, I assume,” he joked. The rugby regulations can be complex for even the maximum ardent fans, let alone someone who has attempted to research it all in a count of weeks. To make the challenge that bit greater daunting, Marist’s most beneficial and B groups both teach together, which means Rajawat finds himself mixing it with Stags gamers at times. He conceded he nevertheless had plenty to research, and he was struggling with the finer factors of the game. However, he thanked those at Marist who had supplied him with the opportunity and a supporting hand. “They are very patient with me. If I do something wrong, they don’t blame me. They simply give an explanation for what I ought to have carried out.
“It’s a super subculture and surroundings. They are excellent humans.” Marist’s most useful captain Scott Eade said the development Rajawat had shown from his first practice consultation to now was impressive. In someway Rajawat become breaking the new floor. He becomes now not aware of another Indian college student at SIT who had also been gambling rugby. It has been the cricket golf equipment in Southland that has traditionally been bolstered through the influx of Indian college students. “I do not certainly like cricket; I decide upon rugby. It’s the brotherhood and operating together as a part of the crew, which I revel in the maximum.” Rajawat’s next rugby undertaking will for the Marist B team in its first Division Two opposition game of the season towards Riverton in Invercargill on Saturday.
