LAHORE – Pakistan rugby team’s preparations for the Asian events started here at the Garrison Degree College on Monday. The boys of the camp were separated into two halves and all the players got full games and showed their skills. The teams were named Pakistan Purples and Pakistan Blues. Purples won the match 21-14 and players that stood out were Manan Naseem of Punjab at full back. Throughout the game, Manan showed great sense and was flawless in receiving the high ball and running it back. He was also able to join the back line at the right moments.
Manan was clearly the man of the Match. He was also helped by Omer Butt of WAPDA who was playing at fly half and was able to direct his back line very comfortably. Omer had Saad Arif of Islamabad at centre to help him with some great runs to set up tries throughout the practice/trial game. In the forwards, good rugby was shown by Multan’s Waqar and Kawar who played for the Blues.
Baber of WAPDA at prop had some excellent crunching tackles and Fawzan Waien of Lahore Rams had a great game at hooker. Selector and vice president of Pakistan Rugby Union Mohammad Yahya Bhatti, who was present throughout the camps, said: “It is a good start to the camp and there is still a lot of hard work required but some of the boys showed great skills.” Mahmood Shamsher, leading referee and president of the Referee Association, also took a law test of the new players and will give lessons on laws of the games in the next camp.
