Lahore: Pakistan’s women’s rugby team will make their international debut at the Asian Women’s Rugby Sevens in Laos this weekend, determined to succeed despite a lack of funding.
Pakistan’s participation in the tournament, which includes sides from India, South Korea, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, is a “great honour”, rugby official Syed Moazzam Ali Shah told AFP Thursday.
The Pakistan team coach Shakil Ahmad said he was confident the young team, formed last year, would play among the top four at the tournament.
But he called on the Pakistani government to allocate more funds for rugby to enable “us to facilitate all players, including girls”, saying the team relies on handouts from the World Rugby Association.
Resources are often thin for sports other than cricket in Pakistan, especially when it comes to female athletes.
His players were optimistic, however.
“Our team is a good team and has the capacity to win the tournament,” Hadeel Niazi told AFP at a training camp in Lahore.
Fellow player Mariam Butt said she had struggled to make practice through injury, while at the same time working as a teacher and caring for her elderly mother.
“Rugby is the toughest sport,” she said.
Pakistan are set to meet South Korea, Laos and Nepal in the first stages on Friday, Shah said.
Meanwhile, Europe-based former All Black Pat Lam slammed Steve Hansen on Thursday after the world champions’ coach labelled him an “ex-New Zealander” in a row over players.
The argument erupted after Lam this week successfully lured backrow forward Steven Luatua from New Zealand to English Premiership club Bristol, where he will coach next year.
A frustrated Hansen hit out at Lam for poaching a promising international talent, saying “if you’re an ex-New Zealander you should be a bit mindful about players’ careers”.
New Zealand-born Lam, who is of Samoan descent, took exception to the description, labelling it “a personal attack on me and my family”.
“I was born in New Zealand to hard-working Samoan parents,” he said in a statement to radio station Newstalk ZB.
“I was educated in New Zealand... I am a proud New Zealander and I’m also proud to be a Pacific islander.”
Lam, who has coached Ireland’s Connacht since 2013, said modern rugby was an international game and pointed out Hansen also had a stint with Wales from 2002-2004.
“Did Steve Hansen consider himself an ex-New Zealander when he chose to leave New Zealand and coach the Wales national team against the All Blacks?” he asked.
Lam left New Zealand after being sacked by the Auckland Blues midway through the 2012 Super Rugby season.
At the time, Lam revealed he had received racial abuse from some fans who linked his islander heritage to the team’s failure.
