Written by: Rishika Ghanamoorthy
Edited by: Chen Kexin and Lydia Ong
Photos by: SMC Publicity
While she may be overcoming the fear of diving in touch rugby, I am still recovering from the interview I had with Hui Lin. Hui Lin walked into the interview with such grace and answered the questions with such poise that honestly, I am still starstruck. She says touch rugby changed her life because she has become much tanner over the years, but I say this interview changed my life because of her short yet very impactful quote - ‘Whatever you do, do it well’.
Having been a badminton player previously, Hui Lin wanted to try out touch rugby in JC as she wanted to try a team sport. Ever since, she has been a player who is a leader on the field. Every team player brings something to the table and Hui Lin brings her communication skills with her. This has proven to be a valuable asset for her team.
Hui Lin also shared that the feeling of scoring a touch is unparalleled and the intensity of the game is something she loves so much that she does not really know how to put it into words. While she was describing the sport, I could see her eyes sparkle with excitement and that made me very excited to go and watch the touch rugby players play during IHG.
When asked what her most memorable moment in the sport was, she shared that during her JC finals, she tried to break someone’s ankles by faking them but she ended up breaking her own ankles (figuratively of course). When she was retelling this story, I laughed at her quick wit and she says she owes her wit to the sport of touch rugby which is a sport that requires immense ability to read the game.
By the end our interview ended, I was left with a strong impression that Hui Lin is a team player, someone who puts the team first, and someone who is incredibly close to her team. She shared how before every match she has to tape her ankle and her ankle has to be taped by Claudia. She also was very grateful towards the team managers and wanted to say that the team has
been working very hard and she hopes that the touch girls will bring home the Gold this year.
Jersey number 80 is also another player to look out for in Eusoff’s touch rugby scene. Yuichiro Fukushima is Eusoff’s resident dual sport player, Golf and Rugby??? I mean, how does the guy do it all!? He is also really influential in Golf that he got all the C4 boys to go golfing with him. Before being a touch player, he was a contact rugby player. He entered the sport as his Father was a contact rugby player as well and he recommended it to Yuichiro. Ever since, Yuichiro shared that sport has taught him how important communication is.
The transition from contact rugby to touch rugby was a particularly tough one for Yuichiro. He shared that he took a whole year to get used to using his brain. I was a little confused when he said that but then I realised it was because he was such a pro contact rugby player that he simply relied on muscle memory. Hence, coming into touch rugby, he had to start thinking before every step he took. He really had to switch his mindset.
Mr Fukushima also loves the sport as he shared that you do not have to have the perfect body type or physical fitness to play the sport. It requires a good mind to read the game. Although Yuichiro said that his “brain processing power” is his weakness, I think his computer science brain, Eusoff hackers skills, and calm demeanour in answering the questions that were thrown at him told me otherwise. Along with being a brainiac, he shared that he performs best as an executor in touch rugby. His humility in answering the questions was indeed inspiring. When asked what his strength was he shared that something he brings to the table is his passing skills.
One part of the interview that got us breaking out into laughter was when Yuichiro was retelling the story of Wesley passing the ball to the ground in last year’s IHG instead of the player on his left. Together with that memory, Fukushima said that beating Kent Ridge Hall in a tight match last year was one of his favourite memories.
Just like Master Oogway from Kung Fu Panda, Yuichiro reminded me of someone very wise. His message to the team and to other sportsmen is something simple yet profound - “Think before you move”. Although he is someone who is very calm in person, he is a beast on the field. He is definitely a player not to be missed this season!!!
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