Name : Yvette Chee & Evelyn Koh

Y.O.R.B (year of rugger birth) : 2002 and 2003 respectively

Rucking with Blacks since : 2003, 2004

As our exportees (there's no such word, we made it up :]) return to the fold this month, it thrills Flava to be able to bring to you A Tale of Two Cities. The one-for-one Export Special!

Yvette, former RJC touch captain and survivor of the 2003 Blacks Boot Camp atrocities, is currently pursuing a degree at the London School of Economics (LSE), where she plays fifteens for the varsity team.

Evelyn, fellow teammates with Yvette back in RJ, and presently studying at the University of Melbourne, took up touch on Yvette's recommendation, enjoyed it so tremendously that she subsequently joined Blacks too, picking up contact along the way, and is still pursuing touch perfection down under.

With a little probing from us - Their experiences with rugby and rugger culture in the rival hemispheres.

What's the difference in play and/or training here and over there?

Yvette: The greatest difference is the weather. For my first training session in London, I wore what I would normally turn up for Blacks training in; a t-shirt, rugby shorts, ankle socks and boots. The next two hours were the coldest moments of my life, and all I wanted to do was to run back into the shelter for warmth. Now I train in a t-shirt, hoodie, track pants, knee socks and boots. Haha!

Evelyn: I dunno if it's a personal thing, or a Singaporean thing, but I find it very relaxed when they play games. For example before a match and even during the match against some super good club, while me and Lina are psyching ourselves up, my team mates will be laughing about some lecturer or cracking jokes. I found it a bit frustrating at first, but I found myself laughing and goofing around too.

For my team, we don't exactly have a coach. Only a captain and vice-cap, and the guys come and help us very often. Many of the guys are playing in the state team as well, so they have a wealth of experience. But over on the girls side, there are only a handful of good players. The rest are mediocre, plus they don't train their fitness. And there are many newbies as well. It's a pity because I don't really find myself improving over there. But it only has been one semester of school for me, so I really can't come to a conclusion.

Our jing-jang coordinators would like to know ­ Where do you have it harder?

E: Definitely here. No FITNESS over there. just running around in the cold, which is actually quite hard too.

Y: Wednesdays 730pm at SPE, hands down.

For those of us who are planning to go overseas soon or in the future for studies and rugby - Any advice or tips to share?

"Y: Go hard and go for it, such chances only come once. But seriously, have a good time while you're at it, the most important thing is to be able to look back on everything and smile."

E: Don't be afraid to tell your team mates what you know about the game, you may know more, and may even help improve your team!

And it may be difficult to "clique" with your team mates, plus you may have different playing styles, and different calls for the same moves, but it's the same in every country. You will adjust and get used to it in the end. I kept on shouting loop and they didn't understand me, they call it wrap. And 3 punch is rucking. I quite like the sound of rucking actually.

You must really make the effort to go for trainings and make the most out of your rugby experience there. I am lucky 'cos I have 2 other Singaporeans who joined together with me.

"Don't miss out on what you could have gained."

I am planning to try out for the state team *hopefully* when the next season comes. It doesn't matter if I don't get in, if I make the first cut, that's good enough.

People here have observed that girls who return from abroad usually bulk up! Haha - care to share the reason(s) why? Is it the stress or simply the effect of too much boozing?

E: Think probably eating more, and less exercise. It gets too cold to run, and you just naturally eat more, just blame the cold weather. Booze? Hehe, I don't drink much!

Y: Too MANY reasons. Weather, boredom, beer, jackets to hide everything, and it doesn't help that the cheap food are the carbo stuff like bread, pasta, potatoes.

We're sure both of you have started to play for your university. Any tales to tell about how you were "initiated"/welcomed as a new member to the family? We'll be taking note of interesting things that might just be incorporated into our version ¨C Newbies beware!

Y: My unofficial initiation was a Sunday morning spent at a 'warehouse' watching striptease acts, drinking vodka from 500ml cans, and trying not to fall over while dancing.

E: Surprisingly, I haven't had any initiation. *lucky me* We only have social nights, and dinner at the pub after every Wednesday training.

Fact or myth - that players there guzzle beer instead of water during half-time? Wuahahha

E: Water ¡s still the fav.

Y: We actually guzzle anything from red bull to coke to orange juice, but not beer, we save the good stuff for after the match. Haha.

Having been away and now back to play during the hols, have you noticed anything different about Blacks¡­or are we still the same old nutters hitting pads every Sunday afternoon?

E: I see new faces. The fresh from jc batch, and people who just graduated from universities overseas, people from other clubs, and people who just join through our website.

And the training has upped in intensity since I left, seriously. There was never a jing jang for fitness before I left.

Y: Young blood...yummy. HAHAHA!

But seriously¡­What are some things that we could learn from foreign clubs?

Y: I have not played for a foreign club yet, so I'm speaking from experience with my uni team. On field, players there are generally more confident and assertive.

"They are not ashamed to flaunt their abilities and to accept compliments, if they want to start the game or to play a certain position or to receive the ball, they are not afraid to make it known; if you don't, then you will never get a chance to. "

Off field, we party VERY hard, we go out for drinks after our match every week, and we also made a trip to Spain to play some rugby and mostly to drink, party, and go crazy. I don't know if this is suppose to be good or bad, but I guess it helps in the bonding if the team has been through some crazy and silly times together.

"E: Over there, my teammates really cheered at the sidelines, and always gave positive comments, like "good job", "well done", "awesome!". It really motivates you to play even better. Not that we don't encourage each other in Blacks, it's just more explicit over there. "

Some of your teammates have commented about you running faster/hitting harder/tackling better than before! What's the secret (besides the additional bulk)?

E: ??? I think I run slower and hit softer.

"Y: The psychological edge of having tackled and having been tackled by girls larger than anyone else on the team before."

If we were to send our team up there to play against your uni team ¨C what do you reckon are the odds of a win?

Y: It will be a close one, but Blacks with heart and guts will win, never thought otherwise.

E: haha, Blacks of course. In Australia, the state that is the best for rugby is New South Wales. In where I am, Victoria, the most popular sport is Australian Footy. Although Melbourne uni may be the best in rugby in the southern district of Australia, we will be totally thrashed by Sydney and even Queensland. Australian Uni Games coming in September, I can tell you what happens. So, Blacks would stand tall in Melbourne. Haha.