Some Moose Are Going On Safari

Crouch!....Touch!.....Wait, is that an elephant? No, it’s a moose......

Sometimes it takes one giant leap by a few to kick-start something special, especially in a small community like Finnish rugby. A team of ladies are about to do just that: with the Finnish domestic season nearing it’s climax, some minds will doubtless have already turned towards post-season. Some will rest, some will get straight into National Team preparations......and some will go to Africa for some 7s.

It all started on the ScrumQueens website (www.scrumqueens.com) – an excellent site dedicated to womens’ rugby, with updates, media and blogs to help women around the world build their knowledge and interest in the game. A few years back, ScrumQueens did a piece on the ladies’ National Team in Botswana, another country pushing hard for rugby development.

Sanni Virtanen, a member of Helsinki RC, saw something very familiar in the rugged determination portrayed in the team photograph of Botswana’s ladies. After joining their facebook group, she got in contact with Botswana’s National Team coach, Shaun Lees. In between conversations about  the biggest losses in international matches, the suggestion came out of left field that Finland’s ladies could one day play a match in Botswana.

Well now it’s happening. On 27th October, a team of Finnish women will fly to Gaborone, Botswana’s Capital, to play a 7s tournament. The ladies are hoping that 6-8 teams from Zimbabwe, Zambia and the host country, Botswana will all compete against Moose On The Loose.

Who knew a photograph could unleash a herd of moose?

A little about the hosts: Botswana is a landlocked country, nestled between South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Gaborone is on the South African border, roughly 250km from Pretoria.

The official language is English, but many of the 2 million-ish residents also speak Setswana.

Rugby-wise their men’s team, the Vultures, is ranked 77th in the IRB rankings and they compete in the Africa Cup Division 1C. The men have two senior divisions while the ladies play a 7s league, with 8 teams competing for the title.
ScrumQueens produced a great article interviewing Coach Lees in October last year. You can read the article here: 

http://www.scrumqueens.com/features/816-botswana-closing-the-gap.html

You can read more about rugby in Botswana on their website: 

http://www.botswanarugbyunion.co.bw/index.html

The great rugby tours have always been about more than just the time on the pitch, and Moose On The Loose will carry on that tradition. The ladies will be supporting the work of Coach Lees in helping underprivileged children and their families in Gaborone. Right up until they depart the ladies are collecting money, sports equipment, clothes and toys from Finland for distribution.

If you too love moose and want to show your support, you can visit their blog at http://botswanaan.wordpress.com/ and join the facebook group for Moose on the Loose (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Moose-on-the-Loose/485035424848371).

Ruck Tales wholeheartedly supports the efforts being made by Moose on the Loose and will help to keep you updated on their progress!