Indian school ‘KISS’ kisses the maiden Rugby under-14 World Cup

Oct 03: The Bhubaneswar-based boys of the Kalinga School of Social Sciences (KISS) that is popularly known as KISS, gave a good account to themselves by cornering the maiden title glory of the Under–14 rugby World Cup held at the Scottish Rugby club in London last week.

The Jungle Crows, as the KISS rugby team is called, dominated the game right from the word go, as they completely outplayed their opponent’s South Africa 19-5 in the final making it a one sided affair.

The Indian boys were never a favourite at the start and tagged as underdogs in the tournament, as they were playing on foreign turf. But soon the Jungle Crows showed their class and flair, as they topped the group by surprising teams from Zambia, Swaziland, Kenya and Romania and set up a title-clash with the South Africans.

India's recent triumphs on the world stage aren't limited to the world of cricket, chess, billiards, hockey and football etc. but they are going beyond that specially in the sports discipline, which many of the countrymen don’t even be aware of.

The month of September has truly been sensational for Indian sports. It all started with the national hockey team winning the Asia Cup early September, then the Twenty20 World Cup, after that Vishwanathan Anand became the King of World Chess and now the Indian flag is skying high in the rugby panorama too.

The strangest element of the triumphant boys, which also pushes them further, is that all the 12 members of the KISS rugby squad are in fact tribals hailing from different backward regions of Orissa.

India has surprised the rugby world too by winning ‘Under-14 World Cup’, an unofficial title for the tournament, which concluded in London on Sunday. The news also brought cheers in Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Orissa.

The Chief Minister of Orissa Naveen Patnaik congratulated the KISS team for their unique achievement and for making the Orissa state known globally and for popularising the game of rugby in their own country as well.

The KISS squad, a sister concern of KIIT University led by Bikas Chandra Murmu, who emerged as a dark horse in the entire tournament played at London.

The rugby fiesta in London saw ten teams, including India’s Jungle Crows, taking part. The other teams in the fray were Kitwe Minors ( Zambia), Ingwe ( Swaziland), Maasai Cheetahs ( Kenya) and RC Ariesul Spartans ( Romania), Kambujabutra ( Cambodia), Langa Lions ( South Africa), Ciorescu School ( Moldova), Mountain Gorillas ( Rwanda) and Snow Leopards ( Kazakhstan).

The winning team comprised of Raj Kishore Murmu (captain), Babula Melaka, Hadidhangada Majhi, Bikash Chandra Murmu, Chhitaranjan Murmu, Niranjan Biswal, Barial Beshra, Bukai Hansdah, Sahadev Majhi, Narsingh Kerai, Ganesh Hembram and Gouranga Jamuda.