By Prof
June 21 2005

Future Hope Harlequins' defence of the Calcutta Cup continued on the right track after a 17 - 15 win against Kolkata rivals, Calcutta Cricket & Football Club (CCFC).
Although the game kicked off at 4:45pm, the players had to endure temperatures around 40 degrees. The conditions did not effect the commitment however nerves showed in the early exchanges with both teams making mistakes. It was Future Hope Harlequins who scored first with Apu Das touching down.

CCFC began to dominate the set plays with their greater bulk and the pressure told as they scored a try and penalty to make the score 5 - 8 at half time.

Future Hope Harlequins started the better in the second period as they cut down the mistakes and began to put pressure on the CCFC scrum and lineout. A fine solo try by Mongal Behara gave the lead back to the Kolkata Quins. 10 - 8

With about 15 minutes to play Future Hope Quins looked to put the game out of sight when Jeeban Bose scored under the posts and James Donegan added the extras to make the score 17 - 8.

CCFC never gave up and camped out on the Future Hope line, and with the last play managed a converted try to make the final score 17 - 15.

After a good win against CCFC 'B', Future Hope looks like topping their group in the Calcutta Cup, if they beat the Sergeants' Institute next Wednesday.

Future Hope Harlequins is the rugby team of the Future Hope charity in Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta) which was set up by Tim Grandage, M.B.E. in 1988. Tim is an Old Rugbyean and member of Harlequins, at the time he was working for HSBC in Calcutta. His first contact with street children was with a group who helped to look after his car. Through meeting and talking with them he became aware of their problems and needs.

They added the name Harlequins to their team name at the beginning of last season when they became an official associate club. Last season was also the first time they won the Calcutta Cup beating the top adult sides in the city. Quins and the Richard Langhorn Trust have both been very supportive of Future Hope over the years and the team plays in Harlequin shirts.

As well as providing support and kit NEC Harlequins have sent out Community Development Officer Nick Hyde and two members of the Quins Community Coaching team (James Willcox-Jones and Julian Ayton) to help coach the side.

“By sharing coaching knowledge and working intensively for three weeks with the coaches and players at Future Hope, we can really make an impact into the way rugby is coached and played in Kolkata,” said Nick.

Willcox-Jones said: “With the help of the Richard Langhorn Trust I am able to spend eight weeks in Kolkata working with Future Hope, so I am really grateful for their support.”

As well as last season's victory in the competition the Under 19, Under 16 and Under 13 sides beat every school side in Calcutta and Kabir Mallick was chosen by the Bengal Rugby Union as the most valuable player of the year and was presented with a trophy by the Commissioner of Police.

Here's hoping that Future Hope Harlequins can win the Calcutta Cup again this season.

If you would like more information about Future Hope you can contact them at:
Future Hope UK, 6 Queensdale Place, London W11 4SQ or through their website at www.futurehope.co.uk.

You can find more information about the Richard Langhorn Trust at www.richardlanghorntrust.org