The 2010 Carlton international 7’s tournament which is to be held next weekend (27th and 28th of November) at the Sugathadasa stadium will play host to some Asian rugby giants and also up and coming sides.
Picture credit:www.rugbychina.com
China, is the team that has been rated the fitted to enter this tournament. Despites attempts in 2003 and 2007 to qualify for the World cup, China is yet to quality but their superior strength would be an interesting component on display.
The first domestic rugby team was established on the 15th of December in the year 1990 by Professor Cao Xihuang at China Agricultural University. The first ever game was played in the year 1991 and it was organised by the Hong Kong Rugby Union which took 140 rugby players from Hong Kong.
University students from Beijing went to Guangzhou (Ken tong) and played a game on the inside of an athletics track which had no grass. The weather gods had not been kind on the players as it had been raining right throughout the match.
There were many other hurdles for the players to go against other than for the opposition. One of those hurdles was the long jump pitch which was situated inside the 22 meter mark; also the Shot-put was inside the goal line which had caused huge holes in the grounds which made it extremely difficult for the players.
The interesting thing about this Chinese side is that some of the players who were part of the initial match will be present at the 2010 Carlton 7’s tournament. Zhang Zhiqiang after playing his first game way back in 1990 went on to be one of the finest players to have represented the country and even was tagged as one of the best in the world.
In the year 1995 he was one of the fastest 7’s players in the world. A legend of Chinese and world rugby, Zhang Zhiqiang who is the current 7’s coach of the Chinese team will make sure his warriors give in a good display at this year’s Carlton 7’s.
Players in China come from the Shandong province and the capital city which is Qing Dao (where the 2008 Olympic Yachting was held). Rugby in China is mainly in the agricultural Universities. There are approximately 1500 agricultural universities in China but only a small percentage is playing Rugby.
It is growing in the other universities as well and in also in the Chinese army. Now that Rugby is an Olympic sport you can expect China to put into the factory system which has produced so many gold medals in the Olympics.
China will surely be one of the dark horses in this year Carlton 7’s tournament as their superior fitness levels is much talked about. With proper guidance and training partnering off with their existing physique, the Chinese can be another power house not only in Asian rugby but also in world rugby.
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