Views
6 years ago

March 2016

  • Text
  • Rover
  • Jaguar
  • Rugby
  • Convertible
  • Evoque
  • Holland
  • Defender
  • Aluminium
  • Wadi
  • Ratan
Meet Ratan Tata | Travel through the Outback in a Discovery Sport | Head to California in search of the Lost Coast | Sir Paul Smith and his bespoke Defender | Grass roots Rugby

“ T H E Y P L A Y F O

“ T H E Y P L A Y F O R T H E EMOTION THAT ONLY RUGBY CAN PRODUCE” ANTONIO CINOTTI ENGLAND HALIFAX RUFC FOUNDED 1919 TONY CURTIS, DIRECTOR OF RUGBY Halifax was once among the top 40 sides in the country. We were semi-professional but the money dried up and the club faced a real risk of folding. It was incredibly tough but we took the bold decision to return to grassroots rugby, dropping into the bottom tier. It has been the best move the club ever made – we have a real community spirit now. What makes Halifax RUFC special are the people. We have an eclectic mix but they bond so well. We have men’s, women’s and mixed ability sides but we have a ‘one club’ ethos and that runs throughout. Rugby is about camaraderie. There’s a bond between those who have played together that can never be broken. I love the fact that you can be enemies on the pitch but best friends at the bar, with everything that has happened in the heat of battle forgotten over a pint. Land Rover gave us exposure that we could never have imagined. The TV ads during Rugby World Cup 2015 were amazing and not only lifted the profile of the club, but our town as well. We were lucky enough to attract new players on the back of this, with people saying they had seen us on TV and wanted to be a part of what we are trying to do. halifaxrugby.com 44

WE DEAL IN REAL JAPAN HOKKAIDO BARBARIANS, FOUNDED 1975 JAMIE COVENTRY, CLUB MANAGER Japanese love the concept of “all for one and one for all”. They play their rugby very hard and very fair. They love the concept of clobbering the hell out of your opponent, but then shaking his hand and having a beer with him afterwards. I have not played at a ground more beautiful than Jozankei, in Japan or in my homeland of New Zealand. We bought the ground eight years ago, planted cherry trees around the edge, built a clubhouse and nurtured the grass. It’s our club but we like to think of it as the hub of Hokkaido rugby, where teams come from all over the island to play each weekend. Once you arrive, you know you are in a special rugby place. We have a great bunch of very ambitious and competitive girls. A couple of the women’s Sevens squad are still only 15 years old, but have the ability to be Olympians in 2019 if they work hard. The #WeDealInReal campaign was like a reward for 40 years of hard work. It was terrific to see our name, our ground and some of our players. We were up in lights for our 10 minutes of fame. I thought it was absolutely awesome! Our groundsman’s name is Taniguro. He’s 67 and still plays each week for the C team. He is one of the founding members and he’s as tough as old boots and is affectionately nicknamed Mr Barbarians. hokkaido-barbarians.com FIJI DAVETALEVU RUGBY CLUB, FOUNDED 1978 EAPI DEKU, CLUB SECRETARY AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANAGER Bamboo goalposts are used by most rural rugby clubs in Fiji. Our original goalposts were made of iron pipes, but they rusted and fell apart. We use bamboo poles for the time being and they’ve never let us down. The village elders decided to form a club for our village of Rukurukulevu – Davetalevu is the name of the channel where boats enter the harbour. For us, rugby is about the combined energy of players, family members and religion. It’s a part of the communal life of the village. We play touch rugby in the surf. Kids use anything – a dried young coconut, washed-up plastic bottles or a coiled up T-shirt – to imitate their rugby idols, goose-stepping like Serevi, learning their back pass and offload. When an opportunity comes to play for Davetalevu, they take these skills to the rugby field. Our youngest player is 17-year-old Neumi Mohi and our oldest is 35-year-old Simione. Neumi is still at high school and his goal is to represent Fiji one day. Simione simply wants to continue playing as long as his legs can carry him, just to inspire and motivate the younger players. We all have this love for rugby that makes us want to give something back. The real diehard fans of Davetalevu are the mothers. They are the ones helping wash the team jerseys and wherever Davetalevu play, they follow. davetarugby.com NOW WATCH THE FILM Find out more about the #WeDealInReal campaign at landrover.com/wedealinreal 45

 

Land Rover Magazine

 

Land Rover Magazine showcases stories from around the world that celebrate inner strength and the drive to go Above and Beyond.

In this issue, New Defender is put through its paces by two inspirational young adventurers as they prepare for an expedition to the South Pole. We also celebrate 50 years of Range Rover by taking a journey of discovery to Dubai. As well as looking back, we look to future as a group of visionaries explain the technologies that could change the future for all of us.

Jaguar Land Rover Limited: Registered office: Abbey Road, Whitley, Coventry CV3 4LF. Registered in England No: 1672070