PLAYING rugby can be a boost to self-confidence, and to the Chinese who are new to the aggressive nature of the sport, the game can be especially invigorating.
This was the observation of rugby coach Chow Chor-hau, veteran rugby player and coach of one of the territory's few Chinese secondary school rugby teams. Most of the school rugby teams here hail from international schools.
SKH All Saints' Middle School has fielded a rugby team for the past three years.
Chow Chor-hau, who put the team together, said his lads had some initial difficulty getting into the swing of the game.
'At first, the idea of knocking down your opponent seemed very strange to the boys. This is especially so in the case of Chinese students who are comparatively passive and of small build.' However, varying body size could be put to advantage in rugby with its various field positions and roles.
'Swift movement, prompt response and the ability to slip through a 'tackle' are of great importance in the game, and our boys do have these qualities,' Mr Chow said.
'Some of them used to be very skinny and lacking in confidence. They never imagined they could beat the much heavier, bigger 'gweilo' boys.
