Pakistan awarded rights to host rugby event

Asian U19 tournament scheduled to take place in October.

KARACHI: Pakistan took another step, albeit a small one, in moving towards reviving international sports in the country after the country received the go-ahead to host the Asian Under-19 Division 3 rugby tournament later this year.

According to Pakistan Rugby Union (PRU) President Fawzi Khwaja, the Asian Rugby and Football Union (ARFU) has given the green signal to organise the competition in the country.

The countries scheduled to take part in the event include India, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

“All the countries have given their consent to visit Pakistan,” Khwaja told The Express Tribune. “The tournament would get underway in October with Lahore being the tentative venue.”

Khwaja termed the development positive for rugby as well as for all other sports in the country.

“It has been eight years since we hosted a similar event. The last time was the Asian event in 2005 in which 12 countries participated.

“The ARFU has given the go-ahead after foreign club outfits showed satisfaction following their participation in the Punjab Youth Festival.”

Club teams from various countries including New Zealand participated in the rugby competition at the sporting gala held in Lahore earlier this year.

Rugby coach scouting talent

Khwaja said Pakistan’s new Welsh rugby coach Roger Coombs was currently busy in finding young talent.

“Coombs has been travelling in different cities. He visited Rahim Yar Khan recently in search of talented youngsters.”

Having previously coached teams in Nigeria, Italy and the US, the experienced Welshman was appointed by the PRU in April this year.

“Coombs is focusing more on school, college and university players. The aim is to mobilise the best available players to form a solid pool of national players.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2013.