Weaving between the crowds of
players slumped on the sideline is
former Alaska Rugby president
Cameron Vivian, known to many here
as Mr Alaska Rugby. He stops to explain
that back in those early days of the
Seventies, two teams made up the
rugby landscape, the Barbarians and
the Dragons. Things evolved over time.
Asked if his beloved Alaskan rugby
was a bit of a spit-and-sawdust affair for
a while, he replies earnestly: “Oh there
was a lot of that! Back in those days
the boys were big and we did a lot of
mauling around the field... There was
one team that was pretty much entirely
firemen, there were other teams that
grew over the years... Some Canadian
teams would come up and join us
sometimes. We’ve had touring sides
from all over. I’ve been part of so many
tours out of Alaska. The game’s taken
me all over, I’ve been to 30 different
countries. It’s very rewarding.”Current president David Delozier
echoes how rewarding things can be
and is rightly proud of the game here
being at, as he calls it, its strongest
point ever. In 2014 a dedicated youth
programme was installed and there
are 13 men’s and women’s teams in
the state now; the majority are based
in Anchorage, but there is rugby in
Fairbanks, Kenai and even on the
more remote island of Sitka.
There is a startlingly large Polynesian
community in Anchorage – they’re a big
part of what makes Alaskan rugby tick –
and also more than 500 Alaskan kids
registered to play the game here,
according to some interviewed. But
both Delozier and Vivian express their
appreciation for having such a fine
facility to rely on, here in Anchorage.
“I think one of the reasons rugby’s
so popular up here is because it really
speaks to who Alaskans think they are,
who we tell ourselves we are,” reveals
Ben Mohr, who sits on the board of the
Alaska Rugby Foundation. “It’s about
being rugged. It’s about being able to
push through adversity. That’s the
history of Alaska. So on a philosophical
level rugby resonates with Alaskans.
“So we’ve 700,000 people in Alaska,
we’ve got about 350,000 in theAction-packed
Play from day onePerfect day
Shot from a bank
above one in-goalAlaskaWHAT
A VIEW!
Reckon you’ve seen a
rugby ground as stunning,
or even more breathtaking?
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