Germany has yet to become a force in the world game but the Wild Rugby Academy (WRA) is trying to change that - starting with the GFI HKFC Tens in Hong Kong tomorrow.
The academy was set up in Heidelberg 18 months ago to strengthen the country's coaching and playing stocks with the aim of qualifying for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The game plan includes exposure to overseas competition and that is why a squad from the WRA - the Wild Titans - will this week become the first German team to compete in the Tens.
'I've played and coached at the Tens before and it's a wonderful event,' says the WRA's Australian head coach, Murray Archibald. 'The quality of the rugby is super. Teams from the UK, Asia and New Zealand are regular visitors and the competition is regarded as the best 10-a-side tournament in the world.'
Sixteen club and invitational teams will compete for the Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield at Hong Kong Football Club tomorrow and on Thursday.
The WRA was founded by German businessman Hans Peter Wild, owner of the Wild group of companies and a rugby fanatic.
After years of sponsoring rugby in Germany, he decided something radically different was needed to get the German game up to world standard.
