Indian SIT student takes on rugby crash course

Tuesday, 2 April 2019

Despite never playing rugby before Prashant Rajawat has joined the Marist Rugby Club after arriving from India last year to study at the Southern Institute of Technology.

Eight months ago Prashant Rajawat had never touched a rugby ball, let alone contemplated playing the sport.

His sporting interest in his home country India was volleyball, while many of his countrymen obsessed over the likes of cricket and hockey.

Rugby isn't on a lot of people in India's radar, and Rajawat's connection with rugby was limited to stumbling across the odd youtube clip.

However when he shifted to Invercargill last year to study sport and exercise at the Southern Institute of Technology, suddenly rugby became more visible.

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The 25 year old was keen to immerse himself in the New Zealand culture and that included trying his hand at the country's most high-profile sport.

A conversation with former Stags player Keanu Kahukura sparked Rajawat's interest in taking on rugby this year.

Kahukura and Rajawat are classmates at SIT and Kahukura invited him along to the Marist Rugby Club.

It has resulted in a rugby crash course as Rajawat makes the transition from never touching a rugby ball to the Marist B team's left-winger.

It was for the Marist B team, in its pre-season game against Pirates-Old Boys a fortnight ago, where Rajawat got his first taste of rugby in a game situation.

To cap off the occasion he scored a try in that first outing.

'I think I got lucky, beginners luck I think,' he joked.

The rules of rugby can be complex for even the most ardent followers, let alone someone who has tried to learn it all in a matter of weeks.

To make the challenge that bit more daunting, Marist's premier and B teams both train together, meaning Rajawat finds himself mixing it with Stags players at times.

He conceded he still had a lot to learn and he was struggling with the finer points of the game.

However, he thanked those at Marist who had provided him with the opportunity and also a helping hand.

'They are very patient with me. If I do something wrong they don't blame me, they just explain what I should have done.

'It's a great culture and environment. They are good people.'

Marist premier captain Scott Eade said the improvement Rajawat had shown from his first practice session to now was impressive.

In someway Rajawat was breaking new ground. He was not aware of any other Indian students at SIT who were also playing rugby.

It has been the cricket clubs in Southland who have traditionally been bolstered through the influx of Indian students atSIT.

'I don't really like cricket, I prefer rugby. It's the brotherhood, and working together as part of team, which I enjoy the most.'

Rajawat's next rugby assignment will for the Marist B team in its first Division Two competition game of the season against Riverton in Invercargill on Saturday.