RUGBY FOR KIDS

SEBASTIÁN E. PERASSO

RUGBY FOR KIDS

Translated by

Florencia Ferraris

To the little boys and girls that play rugby all around the world.

This is my small tribute to all of them

THANKS

Writing an eight book on rugby in less than ten years inevitably means getting in a dangerous whirlwind. I do not think anything I have achieved in the world of writing would have been possible without the support of my wife and my children. They know of my strong vocation for rugby and give me the support I need.

To Monic, Isidro and Faustina, my eternal appreciation.

FOREWORD

By Diego Albanese (*)

It fills me with pride that Sebastián (or Cheba, as his friends from San Isidro Club and many others know him) has invited me to write some words for his book RUGBY FOR KIDS.

There is something I believe that connects us, and this is how crazy we both are about this game, this wonderful sport, rugby, which, in my opinion, is the best and most complete of all.

And why do I call it complete? Because rugby is much more than a sport, it is much more than running, tackling, pushing, kicking, rucking… Rugby educates you, teaches you, shapes you, and forms your character.

Nowadays, as a father, I long for my children, their friends, and as many kids as possible to get close to the oval ball so that they can live and experience everything that this game provides over time.

Being part of a team, being generous towards our teammates, accepting the referee’s authority, obeying the coach’s decisions, respecting the opponent, being punctual, making sacrifices… are only part of the essence of this fantastic sport. Thet are experiences from which we prepare for life itself.

And the best thing, and what makes it even more complete, is that there is a place for everyone in rugby. It is the only sport played by short, tall, brawny, slim, slow, and fast people. Yes, everyone. Everyone plays, everyone is important, and no one can do anything if they don’t have fourteen mates around them.

For this reason, if you had any doubts, the moment you hold Cheba’s book in your hands and you read it, you won’t hesitate to give rugby a try. You won’t regret it!

To finish, I leave a great statement that a coach said to me when I was a boy and that I have carried with me ever since:

That is rugby.

Have a good game! Enjoy it!

INTRODUCTION

Dear kids, I want to tell you something. Almost ten years ago, I wrote my first book on rugby. And from that moment on, I felt the need to recount in paper all my rugby experiences, apart from all those lessons I have been learning along the years.

My father took me to play rugby when I was very small. He was the coach of the First XV of my club, SIC, and also the Pumas, the Argentinian national rugby team, and this allowed me to learn from him, while having the opportunity to surround myself with coaches and players who deeply love this game.

These fanaticism and passion for rugby were passed down to me from my social and family circles. I have always believed – and I still do – that I have been in a truly privileged place to learn since I was very young. That is why I thought that I could make a contribution to rugby by writing.

But it was not only about revealing what I had learnt from my elders, because I understood that I should complete my education by studying everything that has to do with rugby. This stage of analysis and detailed study was necessary for me to complete my preparation.

This last bit was not difficult because my great curiosity led me to study every aspect of the game and, from there, I dealt with the analysis of many interesting topics: the technical, the tactical, and the psychological aspects of the player; the roles or purposes of the coach; the history of rugby, he values and traditions of the game, as well as the world of age grade rugby and its special characteristics.

I confess that I have always been very disciplined. And when it came to writing, I have dedicated a lot of time, energy, and determination.