Christophe Van der Stuyft became acquainted with the sport in 2007 and played for ten years at Brugsche Rugby Club. He then became coach of the women’s team in Bruges. — © IF
If it depends on Christophe Van der Stuyft, Ostend will soon have its first rugby club. “Logistically there is no problem. Rugby is played on a field the size of a football field. Only the lines need to be adjusted,” said the Ostend resident who has received support from Rugby Flanders. Now for the rest.
There is already an American football club in Ostend, Ostend Pirates, but the game is not the same. American football and rugby differ from each other based on the number of players played and the type of ball. The playing field in rugby is slightly longer and wider, while rugby is played with fifteen players, as opposed to American football, which is played with eleven players. In rugby, the ball is not allowed to be played forward, in American football it is allowed. The ball may be oval in both cases, but a rugby ball is larger and rounder. Rugby is also played without protective clothing.
Wide reach
Ostend had never had a rugby club before and Christophe wanted to change that. He used Facebook to appeal. He created the page ‘When we reach 2000 likes, we will go to the rugby club in Ostend’. Her counter currently has less than a thousand likes. “A good start, but we want to keep pushing the gas pedal,” said Christophe. “Ostend has strong historical ties with England. Just imagine the long shipping history. But what is surprising is that despite the British influence, a rugby club was never founded in the city. However, the sport’s professional origins lie in ‘England’.”
The Ostend resident discovered the sport in 2007 and played for ten years at Brugsche Rugby Club. He then became coach of the women’s team in Bruges. “I am and will remain an Ostend resident and not having a rugby club here hurts,” he said. “It keeps going through my head. Ostend presents itself as a major sports city with a variety of well-known and specialty sports. I believe rugby can have a place among them.”
Black hole
However, Christophe does not intend to play alone, but when the time comes he wants to take a position on the board or become a team coach. “The only clubs in our province are in Bruges, Roeselare, Kortrijk, Beernem, Waregem and Tiegem,” said Christophe. “So there is a black hole to the west of the line between Knokke and Kortrijk. Rugby Vlaanderen provides all administrative and logistical cooperation. Rugby Flanders is even looking to provide coaches and training equipment when the club is founded.”
In April or May, it will become clear to Christophe whether there will indeed be a rugby club in Ostend.
Anyone wishing to participate – both in front of and behind the scenes – can email rugbyoostende@gmail.com or send a message via the Facebook page.
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