ECB Coaches Association links Hitting the Seam 39 | Page 16

TACKLING
NEW GROUND
Growing cricket in the fertile grounds of British Asian communities is
one thing, but the RFU had an altogether different challenge when they
sought to bring rugby union to west London’s Somali community.
Most nationalities have a famous sporting bond:
India and cricket, America and baseball, Brazil
and football. How about Somalia and rugby?
The East African nation has stronger links to
bandy than William Webb Ellis’ oval-balled game,
but, in one borough of London at least, rugby is
challenging football as the sport of choice among
the Somali community.
The project began with a school programme in
Hounslow that quickly migrated to a local club
setting after proving popular as part of
the curriculum.
What appeared to be an exciting progression
opened Pandora’s Box, with parents of the many
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Hitting the Seam Issue 39
young students from Somali families worried
about what their children were getting involved
with. Wouldn’t they get hurt? Or hurt others?
Who is going to be running this team?
Not that those able to answer the questions were
aware such worries existed – they just witnessed
a turnout of exactly zero at the first club training
session planned for the schoolchildren.
Not to be deterred, local Rugby Development
Officer Ty Sterry and his fellow community rugby
coaches took the leap into the local Somali
community and quickly found answers, and
willing help.