Germany has yet to become a force in the world game but the Wild Rugby Academy (WRA) is trying to change that - starting with the GFI HKFC Tens in Hong Kong tomorrow. The academy was set up in Heidelberg 18 months ago to strengthen the country's coaching and playing stocks with the aim of qualifying for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The game plan includes exposure to overseas competition and that is why a squad from the WRA - the Wild Titans - will this week become the first German team to compete in the Tens. 'I've played and coached at the Tens before and it's a wonderful event,' says the WRA's Australian head coach, Murray Archibald. 'The quality of the rugby is super. Teams from the UK, Asia and New Zealand are regular visitors and the competition is regarded as the best 10-a-side tournament in the world.' Sixteen club and invitational teams will compete for the Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield at Hong Kong Football Club tomorrow and on Thursday. The WRA was founded by German businessman Hans Peter Wild, owner of the Wild group of companies and a rugby fanatic. After years of sponsoring rugby in Germany, he decided something radically different was needed to get the German game up to world standard. The idea of an academy was conceived in May 2007 and started operations in February last year. It has 35 players in the under-19 and under-21 age groups from the Heidelberg and Frankfurt region with expansion plans to include the best young talent from all over the country. It has also formed strong links with the Sharks Academy in Durban, South Africa, thanks to an initiative by Springbok legend Naas Botha, who is patron of the WRA. Three of the Titans team at the Tens - Anjo Buckman, Steffan Liebig and Jacob Scheurich - are at the Sharks Academy on an exchange programme and more players will follow. 'The Sharks Academy is probably the leading institution of its type in the world so our guys are receiving the most up-to-date coaching and guidance available,' said Archibald. The Titans squad will comprise national senior and under-21 players plus a mix of Australian, South African and Venezuelan players competing in the Bundesliga and two representatives from the Sharks Academy in Durban. The Titans have been drawn in the same pool as the top-seeded Penguins and last year's Plate winners, Hill & Associates Trox AITCS Hong Kong Barbarians. 'I'm confident the Wild Titans will be very competitive and make people aware that rugby is gaining momentum in Germany,' said Archibald.
