Interview by Les Tan
Kevin Neo is a second year student at Raffles Junior College and a member of the RJC rugby team, the defending champions for the A Division Championship title. Kevin, 18, who used to play rugby for St Andrew’s at C and B Division level, is a flanker, and was part of the Saints team that finished 2nd in the C Division in ’03 and ’04. He was part of the B Division championship winning team from Saints in ’05 and ’06 where they beat traditional rivals Anglo-Chinese School (Independent). In 2007, he was part of the A Division championship winning team in RJC and was selected for the Combined Schools team in the same year. He didn’t get to play for the national team because of a broken collar bone when he was part of the Under-16 team.
Red Sports: What have you learnt about yourself through rugby all these years?
Kevin Neo: My secondary school life was built around rugby, and so it pretty much encompassed everything. I learnt to be discipline, creative and to relate to people from various walks of life. And even though I love playing rugby, studies is second to nothing, and have learnt to understand the art of balancing sports and academics.
Red Sports: So what’s happening with the rugby team at Raffles Junior College?
Kevin Neo: It has been a memorable 2007 for the RJC rugby team, reclaiming the Police Cup once again. With all my seniors graduating, the duty has been bestowed upon my batch to step up and take leadership of the team. From my immediate assessment, there would be plenty of challenges ahead of my team. A large percentage of last year’s players were JC2s (Lee Chee Meng, John Wisnioski), thus leaving us with a disadvantage other schools like ACJC and ACSi may not have. However, even with a less experienced team compared to earlier batches, I still believe that my team can prevail. I’ve play with various teams in the past, be it with St Andrew’s, or the Combined Schools, and i can clearly identify that there is potential within this current bunch of teammates. With the essential great effort and determination, we would definitely be able to reach our target.
Red Sports: What’s your assessment of RJC’s opponents this year?
Kevin Neo: Knowing your opponent is the most vital part of any championship campaign. According to me, the other Big 3 are the most evident threats to RJ’s defence campaign. I have played with and against many of these people over the past 5 years, and credit has to be given to them for maturing in the game as they progressed from B division to A division. These teams are all well known for their consistency especially in big match scenarios, and all cannot be underestimated. I cannot really give an accurate analysis of these teams, as I have not got the chance to play them this year yet. Even with the experience I have had with these same teams the year before, just like everything else, it must be noted that teams evolve and mature over time.
What do you guys think about playing on the artificial turf at St Andew’s?
Kevin Neo: Personally, I find no big deal about such facilities. Having played at RI’s artificial turf for nearly a year, i think that it takes away the entire feel of rugby that i have grown up with, though it reduces the problem of muddy laundry after training. I am not sure if others feel likewise, but I would choose a traditional field over such turfs no matter how “tailored or suitable” they are “proven” to be.
Moreover, it is stated that these surfaces reduces injuries, but is that not what rugby is about? No, I’m not saying that rugby is about getting injured, but rather the cuts from sand, the tripping over the mud, are all part of playing, and even the risk of major injuries is indeed part of the thrill of playing. These act as reminders, lessons, and signs of the maturity that takes place in the individuals on the field during the period of game.
From my observation, the pace of the game increases on artificial turf, and i like it too, having adapted to the style of play my team played last year. Fast-paced rugby is a very attractive idea to me. The rapidness of the game allows players to improve their reaction and fitness, which in turn gives them much needed experience in rugby.
As such, when I heard of the new artificial turf at my former school, I was not very intrigued by it. And the additional spotlight on this event, made me personally very puzzled, as it’s not the very first artificial turf in a Singapore school (ACS(Ind) and RI already have theirs). After all, its a field, not a national monument! Nonetheless, I still hope to try it out.
Your comment is fair comment, NS.
Hi NS,
We at Red Sports allow readers’ comments to be made freely as long as they remain within our ‘rules of conduct’. If you have a point to make, do it in a gentlemanly manner and the issue is always open for discussion by everyone. There will be minimun censorship unless one hurls vulgarities or makes racial slurs in their comments or tags.
Uncle les, if you think my last comment isn`t what you want on this web. PLease take it off as i fully understand. Apologies.
Then Kevin, why complain about the tol land field when you said that you prefer the mud during your game against NYJC?
hahaha yes weknowweknow.isnt it evrywhre saintz? anw, kevin is my new hero.hahaha
Kevin has got a point.
Rugby was meant to be played on grass, you dont find the All Black, Sprinboks and Australia doing that.
Synthetic / artificial pitches are for cost saving techniques. Mainly used for Amecian football, Hockey or baseball when pace of the game is important.
and another thing, such specially tailored synthetic rugby field can only be found in Hongkong out of Singapore, in Asia.
anyway, a correction to my first comment, St Andrew’s synthetic rugby field have longer blades of artificial grass and a softer base layer, instead of shorter blades which I stated earlier.
=)
Just something else that I found out recently, other than the floodlights, there’s a lightning warning system installed at the artificial field. =)
*used by the School
The difference between St Andrew’s artificial rugby turf is that it is synthetic and specially tailored just for rugby only with shorter blades, while those at AC and Raffles are tailored for rugby and other sports like soccer. =)
But one thing, it saves the money on maintaining and repairing the field, since the previous natural field was in such a bad bad shape that needed repairs every few months, even since the early 90s before the previous Junior School buildings (before the present SAV’s) was even built. Moreover the field has been used as the School since 1940, it is no doubt why the state would be in such worst condition.
I understands that Singapore’s National Women Team trains at the synthetic artificial turf as well. Not so sure about the National Team though.
Anyway, St Andrew’s have 2 more ‘traditional’ rugby field, one located beside SAJC at the former secondary school buildings entrance and also within SAJC’s (SAV’s) Sports Stadium.
hmmm. same here, i’d totally got to agree with you.
the whole game is really faster, the running speed, the gameplay all..
but i gotta say i’m not really fond of artificial turf. (: