Its been a while since I posted any of my journal been busy ...with work of course. Before I start a special shout out to Awang for encouraging me to carry on blogging. Thanks Awang. Hahah...and also kudos to MRU for having a website (which I only recently knew about). Good job lads.

Yeah work lets start there ...

Ever since working I ve slowed down on playing rugby considerably. Its not just because of work that I ve slowed down (All Blacks losing did hit me like brick though) but more to do with the fact that rugby here, in Malysia currently has lost its spark and I don’t mean a bit but a lot. My first real taste of rugby here was during the Commonwealth Games at that time I was really really impressed with the national team. Even though they did nt win anything the way they played made me really proud to be a Malaysian rugby supporter. Most of the players in the team and trainees of that team were of real quality. When I am talking about quality please do not compare with other countries. Im talking about quality compared to those who are of our same standard physically. Till today I feel those sort of quality player are really really hard to find nowadays. Notice that today there are nt any new Shah Iran, Jamil or Wan Can. Does nt this baffles you? The fact that there are not many new talent emerging since that time. That time let me remind you was 1998 which is 5 years ago. Its not that there no talented players here but in my opinion rugby as a whole has lost its glitter significantly.

Honestly I’m not at all surprise with this phenomena. If you are a local Malaysian rugby follower you will notice one phenomena after the 1998 Commonwealth Games. The phenomenon that I am talking about is regarding the Malaysian indulgence on Fijian players. I know a lot of people will disagree with me but this my opinion on the matter. Whether Im right or wrong that is for you to decide and me to know. Honestly I don’t care. Is it a coincident that the standard of players in Malaysia declined considerably since 1998 ? I don’t think so. It does nt help with the politics surrounding Malaysian rugby (Whoa now that’s a whole different can of worms there) that there is a decline in standard in Malaysian rugby. I genuinely believe the decline is caused by the indulgence. The reason I said indulgence is because the Fijians are not at fault here. The ones responsible are those who over indulge themselves with importing players from Fiji. It’s the typical Malaysian attitude of wanting quick and fast success without wanting to slog it out and develop from the roots. Never wanting to go through the struggle but straight to the glory.

Typical…

Notice that after 1998 that the most successful team in Malaysia are teams with Fijian players. Not a single all local team can claim they are on top today. Not even the army men or the police can claim that anymore. Gosh imagine saying that during the 70’s or 80’s. I don’t want to take away the glory of all this team who won numerous titles during the years but to me they aren’t as good as the trophy they won without the Fijians. They are good teams but without the Fijians they would have found life considerably harder.

The thing that really ticks me off is with all these “TOP” teams are because not many of them have contributed towards introducing NEW talent to the local scene. The reason for this is simple. They already have Fijians in their team so youth development is no longer significant to them. At one point you will see the same faces playing all too often. That is why you will notice talented player are scarce among us Malaysians. Apart form the Bukit Jalil lads and the angel players (what is left of them I suppose) talents are rare. At the height of the “Top” teams you will notice that not many of them contributed towards the national team. Is it because the local players are the same old players whose international career time is up or is it because they re only good with a flying Fijian beside them? I don’t know you tell me…Or is it the complaisant factor. Yeah the factor that most of us locals are guilty of; with a Fijian in your team they do not have to slog it out as the Fijians will cover their asses but without them they re lost? Again I don’t know you tell me…

If you re saying that the Fijians are generating interest to the scene tell me what interest? Interest to watch ? Maybe…But interest to play I don’t think so. It actually gives a negative effect to those who actually play the game. Lets be realistic if you are playing in a all local team don’t even dream about competing with them Which is why you will notice most ‘all local’ team prefer to play in a league with no Fijians involve in it. Wake up people rugby in Malaysia is still an amateur sport so money or funds are not exactly flowing freely for everyone. Therefore not everyone can afford to have Fijians in their team. For that matter I strongly believe most team prefer not to have them. Those who only ‘recently’ indulge in this phenomena are only doing so in order to compete and I mean this in a desperate way.(Again the Malaysian way to success = the short cut way)

Please keep an open mind on this.
Some of those who know me may argue the reason I am saying this is because the team Im playing or supporting has become a spent force. Come on guys I don’t care about winning cause professionally I don’t see how I can gain from it. I play the game for the same reason players play during the amateur era. For the love of the game ……

What about you? Do you know why you re still playing????