Germany has yet to become a force in world rugby – the Wild Rugby Academy is trying to change that. The institution 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 GFI HKFC Tens in Hong Kong.
“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 ten-a-side tournament in the world.”
The 2009 GFI HKFC Tens will be held at Hong Kong Football Club in Happy Valley from March 25-26. Sixteen club and invitational teams from around the world will compete for four trophies – the Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield.
The WRA was founded by multimillionaire German businessman Dr 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 German rugby up to world standard. The idea of an academy was conceived in May 2007 after it became obvious that foreign help should be imported from the more developed rugby nations. The WRA was officially founded in October 2007 and commenced operations in February last year. It has 35 players in the U19 and U21 age groups from the Heidelberg and Frankfurt region with expansion plans to include the best young talent from all over the country.
The WRA utilises the facilities of all clubs in Heidelberg – the major rugby centre in Germany – and has sponsorship from a local gym. It has also formed strong links with the Sharks Academy in Durban, South Africa thanks to an initiative by Springboks 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 currently 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 in a fully professional environment,” explains Archibald.
The Titans squad will comprise national senior and U21 players plus a mix of Australian, South African and Venezuelan players competing in the Bundesliga and two representatives from the Sharks Academy in Durban. Players to watch include Germany’s 15s and sevens captain Musti Gungor and former South African Leopards representative Pieter Jordaan.
Titans captain Sean Armstrong is a former Queensland Reds A representative while lock Julio Rodriguez has been capped 15 times for Venezuela. By coming to Hong Kong, Archibald is aiming to give his team exposure to elite competition and he has got his wish – 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. Archibald has fond memories of the Tens having played for British Bangkok in 1993 and then coached Coffs Cavaliers to the Cup semi-finals in 2001.
“The tournament is an excellent opportunity to continue the development of young German players through exposure to a higher level of competition,” he says. “Competing against teams from all over the world also gives German rugby and the Wild Rugby Academy valuable experience in the international arena. I’m confident the Wild Titans will be very competitive and make people aware that rugby is gaining momentum in Germany.”
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