ARFU 15s 2012 Profile: Dalavanh Vinayya

It is hard to believe that Dalavanh Vinayya is only 18 when you watch her manage a game for her country. Having represented Lao PDR at 7s and in several 15s development tournaments, she will no doubt be pulling the strings from her position at 10  in Manila next weekend as Lao PDR play their first full international 15s match in the Asian Women's 15 2012 Div II tournament.

Name: Dalavanh Vinayya
Occupation: Student
Position: Flyhalf

How long have you been playing the game?
I was introduced to the sport 4 years ago and have been playing since then.

How did you come to start playing the game of rugby?
I started when coaches from Lao Rugby came to promote and coach the game in my school.  I was interested in it when I saw people play, so I tried it and found I really liked the sport. 

How does the general public in the Philippines view women playing rugby?
Rugby is not a very well-known sport in Laos, so when people first see us playing, they are quite curious about the game, the roles, and how players can stay to play for two hours in rain or shine!

How do your folks feel about your participation in a contact sport?
My family supports me to play rugby, but they sometimes worry about me because training is at night, and I live quite far away from the pitch. 




Have you learnt anything about yourself from playing rugby?
I feel so proud and excited to be part of the team. Since rugby is a team sport, I’ve learnt very hard to help others and be a team. To be a good rugby player I have to stay flexible, focus on practice, fitness and good individual skills -  especially sidestepping - so that I will be able to deal with any situation. I do love the competition but the most important thing for me is that “without the opposition there wouldn’t be a game”.