A Brit’s Rugby Journey in Hong Kong
A Brit’s Rugby Journey in Hong Kong
Plaut James Rudolf Cunynghame's Story
Faculty of Arts
BA
James Plaut is a History and Politics student from Durham University and studied at the Faculty of Arts of HKU for a year as an exchange student in 2018-2019.
James is particularly impressed by the exposure to and breadth of opportunities that HKU offered. Sports is one of the great media for him to immerse in the local culture.
James was one of the members of University Hall Football Team, a local sailing club, HKU Athletics Team and HKU Rugby Team. However, the most memorable experience for him was the University Rugby Football Club.
The Club was founded by a few HKU professors but is not affiliated to the University in any sense. A significant proportion of its members are HKU staff, alumnus and students. There is a diverse mix of expats and locals, with people coming from all walks of life. "You get to see a good cross-section of the whole society”.
James played rugby in the high school, and picked up this Sport again in Hong Kong. He has been exposed to new forms such as Touch Rugby and Beach Rugby, and attended the Hong Kong Sevens. Throughout the year, James also participated in multiple fixtures in Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong.
“Apart from the rugby players, all their families would join our events as well, and you’d get to know everybody.”
James has made many new connections through the Club, and sees that as a huge family - “Apart from the rugby players, all their families would join our events as well, and you’d get to know everybody.”
In June 2019, James traveled with the Club to Kamaishi in Japan. The town was devastated by tsunami in 2011 but now it is bounced back and is developing as a “rugby town”.
Written by:
Truston Yu
Year 3, Faculty of Social Science
September 2019