Pakistan Makes Debut in International Rugby

Pakistan will be making its debut in international rugby on Wednesday when it takes on Sri Lanka in the 19th Asian Rugby Football Tournament.

The biennial tournament will feature 12 teams split into three tiers vying for the Cup, Plate and Bowl Championships.

Pakistan is in the Bowl competition along with Sri Lanka, India and China. The winner of the Pakistan-Sri Lanka match faces the winner of the India-China match for the Bowl title on Saturday.

"It is good to see countries like Pakistan and India playing rugby. We are trying to push the game in Asia and it is encouraging that these countries are making an effort," said Jarrad Gallagher, the International Rugby Board's regional development manager for Asia.

Although rugby has been played in Pakistan since 1926, it was for a long time a game exclusively for expatriates. That has changed in recent years with the Pakistan Rugby Union being established in 2000 and becoming a member of the Asian Rugby Football Union…