All for love: Rugby fans speak on sports rigour

That many fans flock to rugby stadia is not in doubt. The interesting perspective though is that at the moment, in Kenya, there is no popular team sport than rugby, a sport once described as played by “thugs” and watched by “gentlemen”.

But what informs it all? Passion, they say.

According to David Awori, an ardent fan of Menengai Oilers, a Kenya Cup side based in Nakuru, rugby fans have the “most handsome men” hence pulling many ladies to the stadia. That is debatable of course.

“Rugby fans are gentlemen and the most handsome men we have in the country, and all over the world, because they are well mannered, making many ladies fans flock to the stadium,” Awori claimed.

However, Cate Muchesia, a lady fan, scoffed at Awori’s sentiments saying that the females also understand the game and their going to the stadia is informed by the love for the sport and their knowledge of the game hence they are “true fans” and not just flocking to the stadia to catch a glimpse of the chiseled bodies of the athletes.

According to Muchesia, being a rugby fan calls for a lot of sacrifice.

“Most of us sacrifice a lot to attend a match which includes time and money.”

Awori adds that many other fans go for games whenever their favourite teams are playing because ‘they love the roughness of the game’.”

“Rugby fans don’t choose sides but the sweetness of the game; like for example, there are two rugby teams in Nakuru but not all Nakuru rugby fans support those teams,” he added.

And as measures to widen the fan base, Awori notes that some of the fans have been active on social media with awareness campaigns to grow the fan bases of their favourite teams and for the sport at large.

“Fans come to the stadium because they love the game but we also mobilize them through social media and that’s how we achieve a very big fan base,” Awori explained.

The fans also advised their soccer counterparts to make their game more interesting and professional if the figures are to be admirable in the football stadia.