Kalistan

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Kalistan is doing well at Valruzian 6 Nations' Rugby Tournament
"Rugby can be big in Kalistan" says Skipper
Brzansk, Valruzia
June 15, 5724 (Backdated)


Rugby Skipper Dak Conway interviewed by Channel 2's Megan Smith

"Well, the whole team, men and women are doing great here in Valruzia," said Kalistani Men's National Team Captain Dak Conway from the Six Nation's Tournament being held in Valruzia. "We're playing our hearts out and we've got some good match ups so far, and I just want to shout out the teams we've played: We've played Bianjie and Luthori so far and the women have played Luthori and Mordusia. Of that's the National Teams have won 3 of 4, and I will say, the women's matches, which have been a bit closer were as exciting to watch as the mens matches were to play. We're all just really happy for the whole thing."

This is the first opportunity that Men's Rugby has had to play in international Competition. "But its bringing a lot of attention to the sport," said Conway. "We just heard, while we were over here that the Kalistani Rugby Union has secured investments for a brand new stadium in Kaliburg, which will be awesome. They want to make it the home base for Kalistani Rugby and look into bringing some of the clubs up to professional status. Right now, the Men's and Women's National Teams are the only ones playing at pro-level, but the clubs themselves can form the kinda nucleus for the Pro League which would be amazing." Conway said that the National League would stick to Kalistan's favorite format of Sevens, with the Mens and Women's team being the main Fifteens players, and club teams combining to form 15s teams to play in tournaments.

Channel 2 Interviewer Megan Smith, who was covering the tournament in Valruzia for KRTVN, noticed that Conway looked a bit beat up after his match with Luthori. "Oh, well, this:" he answered pointing to his busted lip. "Caught a shoulder to the face during a tackle. It's all good--it was a fair hit. Kalistan went into the try zone right after that so we brush it off and move on." Smith asked Conway if he thinks that Kalistan's emphasis on sevens and semi-pro play worked at all to Kalistan's advantage. "Well, we have the size, I think to stick with the best Fifteens in the world, for sure, but I think the fact that most of us regularly play in sevens also encourages us to develop that speed and stamina too that brings us even with the Union players. It's not really better so much as like a combination of a different set of skills that allow us to make up for a lack of some of the experience a lot of these other teams have. Over all, for both the mens and the womens matches, I think the teams are pretty balanced, with a lot of strengths in different areas that make for exciting games."

Going forward, Conway said the team he is looking forward to playing is Valruzia. "We have a healthy rivalry I think, since our countries are so close in so many things, of course we're playing for the right to brag about how awesome we are. It's all in fun, of course. All these countries have great teams and any one of us can win it. I personally am also keeping my eye on Bianjie too, because right now they're kind of in the position of the underdog, and who doesn't love watching an underdog fight their way to a victory? It's all just a really great time and I think I can speak for the team in saying, we're so glad to be here and play this game."

There's still plenty of action coming up in the Six Nation's Tournament, as Kalistan's Men still have the Seleyan teams left to play, and the Women still have Lodamun, Bianjie and Valruzia left in their pool schedule. And only then can we talk about the finals.

@LaModa