Unspun

13 responses to “Who’s that ‘Indonesian’ playing rugby for the country?”

1. 

   treespotter

   June 30, 2006 at 8:39 am

   it’s a global world.

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2. 

   nvn

   July 11, 2006 at 12:36 pm

   Well, since rugby is not yet big in Indonesia — even in the region — I believe the organizer allowed a limited number of Foreign Legion players to represent a country. Usually the Foreign Legion players also have a minimum length of stay in the “surrogate” country. Maybe six months or a year or whatever the OC decides.

   It has been the case with cricket as its world governing body wants to expand the sport to outside the realm of the (British) Commonwealth.

   The idea is to get the country a sense of belonging with a “strange” sports and to help develop authentic, real local players faster.

   And perhaps, to avoid humiliating defeat. Can you imagine what would have happened if a real, Indonesian only cricket team were in a match against Australia?

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3. 

   William

   July 15, 2006 at 6:26 am

   You are correct in that the person passing the ball in the Reuters photo is not an Indonesian citizen. International Rugby Board (IRB) rules require three continuous years of residence in order to play as a national for a national team. Warren Wilcox, the person in the photo was one of three western players (of 15) on the field when that photo was taken. Warren has lived in Indonesia for over 15 years and has assisted in the promotion of rugby, helping teach many Indonesian nationals to play.
   To correct other reports, Indonesia had only five expatriates, all long-term residents, playing in the Cambodia tournament. The players from the UK and Dubai are Indonesian nationals who came here, at their own expense, to assist the team.
   The use of a mixture of players this way is not unique to international rugby. In the recent World Cup one could see many players of varying birthplaces representing countries worldwide.
   Finally, the goal of international competition by the Indonesian Rugby Football Union (IRFU)”spread the word” about the sport of rugby to Indonesians. Players in Cambodia represented the provinces of Jakarta DKI, Bali, Papua, East Kalimantan, North Maluku and Central Java. The first try was scored by an Indonesian and the player with the most tries was also Indonesian.
   In order to get more Indonesians to play rugby the IRFU supports SMA/SMU rugby at high schools and pesantren in Indonesia, youth rugby programs (for under 12’s) and rugby clinics. We invite everyone to participate and encourage folks to check out our website for more information http://www.indonesianrugby.com/
   Best regards,
   Bill
   Secretary
   IRFU

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4. 

   unspun

   July 15, 2006 at 7:30 am

   Dear William,

   I think it’s cool what you guys are doing at the pesantren. Send me a photo and some information so I can post? I think we need to tell the world, especially one world leadr at least, that there is more going on in Indonesia rather than Indonesia=Muslim=terrorism. Perhaps Tom Freidman may come up with a Rugby Theory of nations on top of his MacDonald’s and Dell theories.

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5. 

   William

   July 17, 2006 at 2:11 am

   Hey unspun,
   Thanks for the positive comment. I agree there is much going on here that never gets told. Perhaps, blogs (and PR Flacks like yourself, can help)

   Working with pesantren has been one of the Indonesia Rugby Football Union’s greatest success stories. We are certain that there will be players from pesantren representing Indonesia on the national team in thwe near future, perhaps even at the 2007 Asian Games in Thailand, where rugby 7’s will be a recognized sport. Currently we are working with two main schools and their affiliates. They are Asshidiquiah in West Jakarta and Darulnajah in South Jakarta.

   We hope to expand this program and we are really hooping to get some Australian volunteers under that nation’s VIDA (vounteers in development for Aus)program to help us expand our efforts at introducing rugby to all kinds of Indonesian schools.

   Below is an article from the JP last year. Here is a link to a Guardian article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianweekly/outlook/story/0,,1748523,00.html

   Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

   An Islamic boarding school in sweltering, teeming Jakarta is about as far removed as you can get from the English private school where rugby was first played in the 19th century.
   For Ade Waryo, a second year student at Asshidiqiyah Aliyah Islamic school, learning to play this full-contact sport has been an enjoyable albeit eventful process.

   “It’s quite difficult to play rugby at the beginning as the ball is oval and there is so much body contact and tackling, but later we learned to play it quite well,” he said during the ISCI Jakarta Rugby Tens Tournament 2005 at Ciputat, South Jakarta, last Saturday.

   “My motivation is getting to play in a tournament against foreigners, practicing with them, and we want our school to be the first Islamic school to play rugby.”

   His teacher Muhammad Syahadat said playing the sport provided better skills in teamwork and communication, as well as building confidence.

   “I think the impact of rugby for us is good.”

   Indonesian Development Rugby (IDR), a group established in May last year to promote the sport in the country, hopes there will be more Ades who will take up the sport, grow to love it and eventually wear an Indonesian jersey on their backs.

   “We are still in an early stage of rugby development, but we want to build a national team like our neighbors Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand,” IDR chief Andrew Nugroho said..
   While the assumption is that men must be heavyweights to play the game, Andrew, who first played the game while at high school in Australia, said speed and agility were also important in avoiding being tackled to score.

   Players in Japan and Thailand, where rugby is now played in schools, universities and by the armed forces after receiving the patronage of a prominent general in the 1980s, are renowned for their quickness about the field.

   “I watched the Thai team compete last year at the Asian Rugby Union they played well. On average, they were the same size as Indonesians,” he said.

   With Indonesia lacking the historical connection to the sport of former British colonies in Asia, such as Singapore and Malaysia, junior development in schools and universities is essential to develop a future national squad, Andrew said.

   At present, students from Pelita Harapan University, Bina Nusantara University, Budi Luhur University and Asshidiqiyah Islamic School are learning to play rugby.

   They play every Wednesday at 6 p.m. at ABC Soccer Field, Senayan, South Jakarta for free, under the sponsorship of Thiess Indonesia. All are welcome to play.

   The students made their debut as the Jakarta Bantengs at the tournament last weekend.
   Outside of Jakarta, there are four teams — the Kotekas of Papua, Total Balikpapan, Sangatta of East Kalimantan and Gosowong of Halmahera.

   The Kotekas and Gosowong, like the Bantengs, are all-Indonesian squads, originally set up and assisted by expatriates working in their areas.

   “We have some 60 players in Jakarta and 350 players from the other teams,” he said.
   “Right now we play more for fun, but we plan to play more professionally.”

   In the future, IDR would like to have its own well-tended rugby field in Central Jakarta, more tournaments than its two at present and, eventually, a foreign coach.

   The IDR holds observer status in the Asian Rugby Football Union, which is the Asian division of the International Rugby Board.

   “Probably, in the next two years when the number of our players and coaches increase, we could become a full member of the Asian Rugby Football Union.”

   ISCI Rugby Club captain David Stenberg said that the quality of local players was improving, with Gosowong and Kotekas able to compete against teams of foreigners.

   “We support the idea to build the national team,” he said.

   “We do hope that the Indonesia rugby national team will consist of Indonesian people rather than expatriates living here.”

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6. 

   Fikri

   July 19, 2006 at 4:34 am

   Hi Unspun,
   Just want to share another information about Rugby and National Rugby player.
   In the current Wallaby Squad there are several non-Australians including –

   Jeremy Paul – New Zealander
   Dan Vickerman – South African
   George Gregan – Zambian
   Clyde Rathbone – South African
   Lote Tuquiri – Fijian
   George Smith – Tongan
   Rodney Blake – Tongan

   That does not seem to bother the average Aussie nor the Rugby World.

   p.s: I’m one of the Indonesian National Player and I was on that photo too. 🙂

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7. 

   Andy Vater

   July 22, 2006 at 4:48 am

   The Indonesian squad for the Asian Division 6 tournament in Phnom Penh recently, was selected within IRB regulations, which states that a player has only to live in a country for 3 years to qualify, just like any number of players in the Australian, New Zealand, or English squads that weren’t born in those countries (as pointed out in the comments above).

   However, we (IRFU) deliberately limited the selection of non-Indonesian players to key positions (such as front row and second) to act as mentors to the Indonesian National players.

   It should be pointed out that the players that we flew in from England and Dubai had Indonesian parents, but were being educated and were playing rugby abroad. These kids will form the core of our development strategy for the future, in a country that has no history of rugby.

   The reasons that the IRFU was set up, was to introduce a game to the Indonesian Nationals that us expatriates in Indonesia love, not to provide our friends with international caps. The President, and driving force in the formation of the IRFU, is Andrew Nugroho who is Indonesian, but was introduced to the great game of Rugby during his education in Australia.

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8. 

   Steve Barber

   July 26, 2006 at 10:38 am

   I was one of the so-called Bules who represented Indonesia in Cambodia and I am bloody proud of not only my achievement but the fact that in just over 2 years the IRFU has been established and given 26 blokes the chance to play international rugby, whether they be Indonesian-born, or residents and in my case married to an Indonesian, with an Indonesian child!

   One thing you should realise is that the IRB does not discriminate, and that there is no such thing as an ‘expat’ in the IRB’s Constitution. All foreign players once eligible to played for their ‘adopted’ country are welcomed alongside Nationals! It happens the world-over these days, take alook at most international teams and you might learn something!

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9. 

   hermie

   January 9, 2008 at 3:26 pm

   bravo rugby Indonesia

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10. 

    Anthony

    June 15, 2008 at 4:59 am

    Hi

    I just want to wish the Rhinos good luck in their upcoming matches against Cambodia and Laos.

    I was born in Indonesia and spent 10 years living there. I play a lot of rugby back in the UK and its good to see that the great game is starting to grow as a sport in Indonesia.

    I look forward to seeing Indonesia emerge as a regional powerhouse in the next few years. Good luck for the future and if you ever fancy touring the UK I am sure we can find you a few matches.

    All the best.

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11. 

    Pamela anderson

    April 30, 2009 at 2:28 pm

    haha, unspun got owned by barber.

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12. 

    Adi

    May 1, 2009 at 12:18 am

    hey, unspun. im indonesian and currently live in qatar. just so you know it is allowed and guess what? All players in the Qatar Rugby Squad are all foreigner, they lost in the final vs iran in the regional A5N.

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13. 

    Sofi

    June 13, 2010 at 6:58 pm

    maybe the indonesian still needs support from other country….or maybe they still lack of experience…..

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