#1 Remy Ramirez
Dear diary,
I know I have been missing in action for some time now. But it has been an exciting time at Societe Generale! We are the official sponsors of the Rugby World Cup 2019 which means I got to do two of my favorite things: play rugby and volunteer for a good cause!
Since I came to India in June 2019, I have been missing some of the things that are close to my heart – chief among them playing rugby. This sport evokes so many different emotions in me! To me it means bringing my friends and family together and playing a spirited game of rugby over Christmas. But mostly, how this game brings together children and adults and teaches us values such as oneness, team spirit and integrity.
So you can imagine my surprise, diary, when I got the opportunity to relive my rugby days from France through the Touch Rugby tournaments Societe Generale organised. Teams were formed, and I was approached to join a team. How could I say no?!
After only two practice sessions, we were pumped up and ready to see it through the end – come rain or sun. We locked horns with a few teams and through hard work and sheer determination we found ourselves in the semifinals!
A random group of people had come together, some of them playing rugby for the first time in their lives, and I was already so proud of what we had achieved.
First match of the semifinals, we were approaching half time and I was down with an injury. Imagine my disappointment. But the team rallied, and we won the tournament in Bangalore! What made this victory sweeter was the money we helped raise to fly eight children from the Magic Bus Foundation to watch the Rugby World Cup semifinals in Japan in October 2019.
It was soon time to pack our bags as well to play in the Touch Rugby Charity Tournament in Hong Kong, in August. It was the most exciting time! Discussing strategies, coming up with new ways to tackle players who are more experienced than us, getting coached by professional rugby coaches! By the end of the first qualifying round we had played six games and won all six! We were euphoric.
The second qualifying round brought tougher competition and heavy rains. The odds were stacked against us, but we powered through and reached the quarter finals. There unfortunately, the better team won and with it our dream of winning the tournament was crushed.
But this disappointment was short lived. Now what I am left with is extreme joy and gratitude for being a part of this wonderful experience, traveling places, making new friends and memories but above all helping a few children to realise their dream of watching a live Rugby World Cup!
I am thrilled to be part of an organisation that not only promotes and supports rugby but also gives back to the community through this wonderful sport.
