Atlantica - 01.06.2011, Side 68

66 a t l a n t i c a
games; a 15-man on Sunday July 3 and a 7-man on
Wednesday July 6. The Thunderbirds were defeated
in both matches. “The Reykjavík Raiders played a
great game and the future is bright for this young
team,” commented Chuck Hamilton, the president
of the club. “The team enjoyed this tour in particular
because this was the first official Rugby Union match
for the Raiders. With our aid, the team will come
into contact with many teams around the world, per-
haps even hosting their own tournament next year.”
But for the time being, the Raiders continue
preparations for their second participation in the
Scandinavian Open Sevens to be held in August. Last
year, the 20-player team won 2 out of 6 games. Every
player was given a chance to play, whether with
or without previous experience. “Our performance
demonstrated that we are capable of competing with
more experienced sides, giving us confidence that we
were on the right track, ” says Andrew Britten-Kelly,
a fly-half for the Raiders. “It was a positive, uniting
experience both on and off the field.”
This year 15 players will be attending the tour-
nament. “This time we know what to expect. And
with some of the players now certified as level 1
rugby trainers, the training schedule is more ardu-
ous than before as the bar has been raised. Our goal
is to achieve better results and learn as much as
possible from the other teams,” says Kristinn Thór
Sigurjónsson.
Last June, the Raiders were visited by Douglas
Langley of the International Rugby Board and the
team became an official member of the Rugby
Union. Twenty-two players attended a certification
course to receive a level 1 training degree, both men
and women. This enables the team to visit schools
and sport clubs with a presentation and an offer to
teach members the basics of Rugby. The training
is not only a way to expand the sport in Iceland
but also to strengthen the players. Currently, all
the Ministry of Education and the Icelandic Sports
Association are able to provide is limited moral
support, but the time will come when funding will
be accessible, which will further strengthen the
sport. “In order for the sport to develop in Iceland
and for a league to be established, further certifica-
tion will be necessary, especially should it consider
establishing the first Icelandic national rugby team,”
Sigurjónsson continued.
But for now, the next project for Rugby Iceland is
to set up smaller teams with new players between
the ages of 18-25. It also hopes to work with local
high schools and sports clubs, starting both wom-
en’s and men’s teams around the country.
“Rugby is not only a men’s sport,” emphasizes
Sigurjónsson. “Women’s rugby leagues exist all
around the world and are just as fun to watch as the
men’s league.”
The idea of women playing rugby might seem
strange to some people but Erica Hansen, a former
amateur rugby player, insists that it’s perfectly fine.
“The bruises I would get during games were noth-
ing compared to being bitten by a horse.” As the
midnight sun sets in Nauthólsvík, Chuck Hamilton
concurs. “If anything, women listen to instructions
and they play a technical game.”
So much can be said about the sport that many
claim to be an exhibition of senseless violence. Yet
the players are not the beasts they may seem to
be on the field. During the 80 minutes game, they
push the limits and play all for one, not just one for
all. No man is an island and that’s what rugby is all
about. a
ruGbya
“It is a hooligan’s game
played by gentlemen.”