Student Pioneers take Czech
lessons
By Gerard Keenan
To many people, Prague means stag
weekends, cheap beer and fuzzy memories.
However 25 members of the GB SRL Chairman’s
XIII returned from a ten day groundbreaking
tour in July to the Czech Republic
with a massive impression of a nation
ripe and ready for the explosion of
rugby league.
Click
here for GB Student Pioneers Photo
Gallery
The aim of the squad, known as ‘The
Pioneers’, is to aid the development
of the greatest game in fledgling
rugby league nations. The GB Players
and management enthused about the
prospects for rugby league. Team Captain
Steve Owen commented, “The players
of the Czech Republic have the core
skills and physical attributes to
make a success of rugby league. More
importantly they have a strong culture
of team sports and the right attitude
to learn how the game is played.”
The Czech Republic has a rugby tradition
dating back eighty years but this
is the first time rugby league has
been played. Over consecutive weekends,
the Pioneers played two ‘tests’ winning
29 – 8 in Prague and 34 – 22 in Olomouc,
the regional capital of Monrovia which
lies about 200 miles east of Prague.
Although the Pioneers won the games
convincingly, the Czech’s came back
strongly in the latter end of both
matches demonstrating their ability
to learn and improve. These were no
walkover exhibitions with the Czech
Republic containing four rugby union
internationals who between them total
over 100 caps. In the first match,
scrum half Owen and prop Gareth Barron
were outstanding for the Pioneers
while in the second game hooker Craig
Barker and second row Luke Scrimshaw
were the players who caught the eye.
The tour was organised in liaison
with Milan Mrtynek, the ideal person
to ensure that the development of
the sport is successful. Mrtynek,
a local to Prague, is a former full
international in rugby union and as
such is highly respected by players
and administrators alike. Moreover,
he is fluent in English with a wife
who comes from Scarborough, Yorkshire.
Not only can he perform on the park
but he has that organiser’s magic
touch to ensure that Czech rugby league
will also deliver off the field.
The 24 person Pioneers squad is unique
in that it has equal representation
of both players and management from
England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
which together make up the SRL Four
Nations. In 2005 the squad had a highly
successful tour to Estonia playing
the first ever rugby league matches
in that country. Team Manager Gerard
Keenan said, “We hope to offer something
to people who are keen to learn our
fabulous game. However we depart the
Czech Republic with wonderful memories
of people and a culture which many
of us might otherwise never witness.”
Before the second test in Olomouc,
the squad felt highly honoured to
be presented to Mr Milos Dobry, the
founder of the local rugby club and
the last survivor in Olomouc of the
Auschwitz death camp during the Second
World War. “A tour like this helps
young people to develop in so many
ways,” said Keenan.
