Luxembourg Touch competed for the first time in the championship, playing in the Mens’ Over 30 section, says the team’s Nick Frank. “How did we do? Well we lost all 10 games, but really that is a detail. It was a huge achievement just to be there with a team.” He explains that Luxembourg only has a pool of about 25 players today, while Australia, for example, has more than 200,000 registered players.
“In hindsight we were crazy to dream of playing in the world cup.” Frank adds: “we at least managed to score some tries,” as seen in this promotional video produced by the cup’s organisers.
Touch leagues started in the 1960’s as a non-contact form of rugby, he states. “Because the game is not based on physical contact, but on speed, skill and strategy, it is played by both sexes, and very often in mixed teams. In Australia alone, over 500,000 children regularly play Touch. This makes it a very social sport.”
The team is looking to grow the sport in the Grand Duchy. “We are just stepping out on the journey to build a Touch club in Luxembourg which can hopefully send a Men’s Under 40 and a Mixed side to the World Cup in Australia in 2015,” Franks says.
Luxembourg Touch meets Wednesday nights in Cessange for training and games. For more information, email [email protected].
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