So ended the KYUEM Rugby International, woops i mean Invitational Rugby 10's. Though a debatable success, it left lots of things to be desired. For one, is it called invitational or international, though the banner displayed both? One would probably stick with invitational, since there was nothing international about the whole event. All teams were from KL and the surrounding districts. The only thing remotely international were our dear friends Gilbert, Canter and Carisbrook. Rugby brands all.

Maybe it was the rules that were international. Which must mean we locals play with a different set of rules. Ours probably have a less emphasis on physical contact or any unneccesary brute force. We are afterall a race of caring and polite Malaysians.

As for our college team, lets just say we weren't on fire and blazed through the event with amazing skills and prowess. Any flame at all was but a flicker and put out soon afterwards.

Eventhough the college team did their best and tried reaaallly hard, even almost scoring once or twice, it was pretty obvious that we didn't have enough balls to pull through. Some buggers stole our school owned rugby balls, you see. Yes, the ones with the serial numbers.

KMB, KDU, KTJ, KKK and those other Angry Mobs were simply amazing. Most impressive of all were the Bukit Jalil School. I have no idea what they feed 'em there. Would you believe it that the school sent a bunch of form 5's to join the Under-20 category and another batch of form 3's to join the Under-18 category. And, they, them, those athletically engineered superbeings still managed to win in both categories. Champions for the Under-20 and 1st runner-up for the Under-18. Truly an appropriate time to gape and exclaim your WTF's. :)

If you're still wondering what kind of a game Rugby Union really is, then read on. I went there with a slight misconception of the game. I know not of any Rugs in the game, but I suppose when you're being tackled it does feel like the rug's just been pulled from under you. By the bye, a tackle is an action a big muscular guy does to another big muscular guy. Though not in any romantic way. unless they're masochistic. And gay. And whats with the name Rugby Union? Whats so unifying about the game? Besides big sweaty bodies being piled up on top of each other. Ugh.

After two days of roughing it out on the field, the players (and the hardworking organizers, though they should've been focusing their hard work towards their studies. Heh, to each his own.) finally blew the final whistle to mark the end of the tournament. What good came of it, I know not. If fame was what we sought, it certainly paved a name for our College Rugby team. Yep, "KYUEM, The Team To Beat". (If you can't even beat us, you might as well just go home.) I know, I know, I'm being mean here. They boys were actually quite wonderful. Especially the seniors, who sacrificed quite a bit for the college. I salute you all, and may you show the same tenacity in your A-levels. InsyaAllah.