If there’s anyone in Singapore who is familiar with rugby, that should be Marah Fahmy, 28.

A former national rugby player for Singapore, Fahmy is now self-employed with his own business, and has plans to coach the Laos national rugby team in the future.

An exciting moment in Singapore rugby

Said Fahmy, “With the HSBC World Rugby Singapore 7s just around the corner, it is now a very exciting moment for Singapore rugby. 7s players travel all around the world and now Singapore will be one of their destinations. This is the chance to see the world’s top rugby players live and I am very excited to catch them in person.”

Fahmy also adds that there will be something for everyone at the event regardless of whether they are a rugby fan or not. He said, “You will get an experience that you will not find in other sports. For instance the fans for rugby are really crazy and do not be surprised if they come down wearing costumes, suits and makeup, and all they need is a cup of beer in their hands and they will go totally crazy.”

Fahmy had been speaking on the sidelines of a roadshow for the HSBC World Rugby Singapore 7s. This had been held at Clarke Quay over the past two days – to help promote the world-class rugby event, which will feature the likes of the world’s top 16 teams like New Zealand, Fiji and Australia.

New Zealand and Fiji to be in the final?

In fact it is New Zealand’s All Blacks, that Fahmy is relishing the chance of catching live, the most. He said, “For me I am definitely an All Blacks fan so I will be biased – I am certainly going to say to come down and look out for the All Blacks. They have won the previous two series as well and they really believe in giving 150% to each game they play so they are worth watching. And I hope to see Sonny Bill Williams – he is my idol.”

Besides New Zealand, Fahmy also feels that Fiji have a strong chance to win the Singapore leg of the tournament. He said, “Fiji have a lot of flair and they are amazing to watch. No words can describe them – in fact when they play I don’t even think they have a game plan; what happens is that they see what is playing out in front of them and their players instinctively seem to know what to do.”

Quade Cooper from Australia is also another player that Fahmy says to look out for. He said, “He is another magical guy and he is surrounded by a strong team too.”

Added Fahmy, “But if I were to choose, I would like to see New Zealand and Fiji in the final, because these two, for me, are the most exciting teams to watch in 7s rugby.”

Rugby is becoming more prominent in Singapore

The tournament, according to Fahmy, is also a great chance to take Singapore rugby to the next level. He said, “The rugby game in Singapore has definitely grown over the years and recently there have been more chances than ever, to move local rugby forward, such as the SEA Games last year and now the HSBC 7s tournament.”

He added “In fact rugby is definitely becoming more prominent in Singapore – it is really nice to have non rugby fans coming up to me and talking to me about, for example, hey Fahmy, this player is not so bad eh, and I am like, wah how do you know. They then tell me that the rugby games are always on television nowadays. This bodes well for rugby in Singapore.”

In fact, Fahmy explained that this growth of rugby has been even more noticeable since his time as a youth player too.

He said, “I started playing youth age group rugby in 2006 and only three years ago I got into the men’s team. From then to now there is a lot of opportunities for Singapore players to go to the international stage – and at the same time there are more sponsors for our training, equipment and methods.”

Young players should never give up on their dreams

For young players who eventually hope to make it to the national team someday, Fahmy advises them to never give up on their dreams.

He said, “Keep training hard and never give up on the dream. Constantly keep on learning regardless of whether you are playing in the best club or have the best coaches in Singapore. And stay disciplined and keep asking questions. It is the minor details that will make a difference on and off the field.”

Where to purchase tickets

To get your tickets for the HSBC World Rugby Singapore 7s, check out www.singapore7s.sg. Ticket prices range between SGD50 to 150.

Click here for more about the roadshow.