ALTHOUGH I was active in sports, the House Captain of Sulaiman House in 1973, ran the track, jumped and threw the field, played football, etc., the introduction of rugby while at MCKK personally had a more profound effect on my life to this very day simply (and frequently) put, I realize rugby is not just a game, it is a lifestyle. Its essence is not drawn simply from the physical competition on the pitch, but, also from the camaraderie that develops from sharing such an uncommon common bond. It starts on the field but is reinforced during the post-game gatherings when opponents break bread and toast each other with drinks (soft drinks of course) and song.

                     The party is a celebration not just for the victors, but also for the vanquished (and a chance for a redemption of sorts). It is a unique endeavor in athletics. "Winning isn't everything, it is the only thing". The rugger player, who still wishes to win, values the test of competition and the spirit of the game even more.

                     So perhaps it can all be reduced to a bumper sticker after all {sigh}: "IN RUGBY THERE ARE NO WINNERS, ONLY SURVIVORS", and we survived well together, teammates and foes alike. I played rugby because it is not football, it is not soccer and it is not any of the other sports you can think of. It is different, it is unique, and it is rugby. More than a game, more than a simple competition, flying in the face of what is expected of the athlete, rugby players are nothing, if not non-conformists.

                     I’m among few, I’m proud, I, a former rugby player never forget my ideals, my objectives and my principles lest I become just another game that values winning above all else. Rugby has always been above that. It is about camaraderie and sportsmanship. Other sports often pay only lip service to those ideals. Rugby exemplifies them...

Thank you MCKK...Alhamdulillah...Allahuakbar.