The Welsh Rugby League team came to Smederevo to play against Serbia on 25 October, in the second round of the European Cup. I was born and grew up in Wales, and played rugby when I was young, so naturally I was keen to see the game. It was good to see the Welsh flag, with its red dragon, flying alongside the Serbian flag over the stadium. Smederevo Mayor Predrag Umićević also came to enjoy the game. Rugby League is still a growing sport in Serbia; the Welsh team are all full-time professionals, while most of the Serbian team are not, so it was no surprise that Wales won. But it was the enthusiasm of the Serbian team that stood out, together with the encouragement they are getting from other Rugby League nations and teams. One of the Serbian team members plays professionally for an English team, Whitehaven in Cumbria, in North West England, and so Whitehaven have loaned Serbia a trainer and a physiotherapist to help them prepare for the contest. A former international player from New Zealand is also working with the Serbian team; and there are players from England and Australia playing for Serbia because they have Serbian parents or grandparents.
The Rugby League authorities want more countries to play; they need 40 countries to play for the game to be fully recognised internationally. At the moment, Serbia is leading the way as the only country in the Balkans to play, so everyone wants to help the game grow here and spread in time to other countries in the region. The Serbian team goes to Wales in two weeks' time, to play against Italy. Whatever the result, the real benefit for the Serbian side is the international practice they are getting. If the game goes on growing, Serbia could be a real force in Rugby League in a few years' time.
Posted at 09:51 26 October 2009 by Stephen Wordsworth | Comments[0]
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