Kalistan

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Rugby in Kalistan steps up
National Union in discussion alongside preliminary talks for International Competition
Port Swede, Duchy of Vrassa
October 12, 5722


Kaliburg United RFC vs. Eshar "Blues" in last season's Club Championships

In Kalistan, the sport of rugby is generally perceived as "Football's psychotic little brother," but new international competition options that are on the horizon aim to elevate the sport's profile in the Empire. The sport, currently supported on the club level, is no where near as popular or as publicized as Kalistan's Imperial Football League. Sponsorship money also does not tend to go to Rugby players, especially since careers tend to be more nasty, brutish, and short for rugby players than they are for professional football players. As a result, rugby is intensely enjoyed by a fraction of the population, while many do not know about it.

"It's kind of wild, because a lot of the things that people say turn them off about football, those don't exist in rugby," said Mark Martinez, who is the captain of the Port Swede Consolidated RFC, known locally as the "Blacks" due to their Black and White jerseys. "We play Sevens in our club settings in Kalistan, which means shorter, more compact halves. That's basically 15 minutes before stoppages per match, but we can usually get a match done in an hour of play. Sevens focuses on speed and agility and quick points, and is perfect for the rough and tumble sorts that have no patience for the strategic aspects of football. And best of all, each Club fields a male and female team, and so fans are never disappointed. It's the perfect alternative to Football, but we just hope to get more viewership and more support for our clubs."

A recent discussion among rugby federations in several nations, including Kalistan, Valruzia, Lodamun, Luthori, Mordusia, and Bianjie has hinted at the organization of International Competition, which would likely be Rugby Fifteens, rather than Sevens. "We do plays Sevens here in Kalistan, but during the annual club tournament, we also have a Fifteens Exhibition for the fans made up of players from the three Ananto Clubs on one side and the six Kalistani clubs on the other side. They play for bragging rights. The clubs have got to be very selective in who they let play in the Fifteens exhibition, because players who are used to playing hard for 14 minutes need to slow it down and play more strategically, more similar to football, in an 80 minute match. People coming off the field after a fifteens match look like they've been in a war. But I believe at the international level this may be what we end up playing, so having that little bit of experience will be an advantage."

Martinez said the discussions are preliminary at the moment, but how ever they turn out, successful international competition will bring more awareness to the sport at home. "A Kalistani National Team will certainly draw a lot of attention, in a way similar to the world cup for soccer does. Its to the advantage of our sport that more people pay more attention to it. Right now our clubs are self supported and have to get advertisers and sponsors, and many of the athletic brands would rather put their money behind football. But this is a rather parochial sport, while Rugby has the potential to generate international appeal. Plus who doesn't take pride in their national teams going out and defeating other national teams?"

The nine teams of the Kalistani Rugby federation will certainly have a spot at the table of the creation of any national teams. "I imagine our team's owners and managers won't want their clubs poached by a well funded National Team, nor do we want to form some kind of farm system for the National Team. The Sevens Clubs are where the real rugby players are in Kalistan, and I would feel awful if I lost some of my best friends to a money team. When you play in a club, you play for pride, and end up with beer and pizza money sometimes. You can get any meathead on the planet to play for salary. So we need to be part of the discussion, to make sure its done right, so its something that is mutually reinforcing, and not undermining for the sport."

There would be other issues that Kalistanis would have to overcome as well. "I imagine they wouldn't let people who use drugs play on the international level either. Even Dah is frowned upon in other nations. So that's an issue the Clubs would have to deal with too." And then there would be the issue of gender equality. "We'd want both men and women to have a national team, and be able to compete as equals in any international tournament. Not focus all on the men and ignore the women, like some international sports do. If a woman can be the Empress, a woman is certainly qualified to play Rugby."

Martinez says he is optimistic about the potential of International competition. "In all I think Kalistan would do well. There's still a lot of unknown variables, but it would certainly be something I'd want my team to participate in, even if its as a spectator. Hearing that there is the possibility to compete internationally has got a lot of the Swedeport team excited, as I know it does for every Club in the Empire."

@LaModa