Rugby is slowly but steadily growing as a sport in the European retreat of Poland. The Polish Rugby Union (Polski Związek Rugby) was founded in 1957, and joined the IRFB in 1988 and Poland made their international debut against East Germany in 1958.
In the 1990s, there were at least fifty Poles playing in the French first and second divisions. Notable amongst these was Grzegorz Kacala, the 114-kilogram (18.0) open side flanker, who helped Brive win the 1996 European Cup.
Mariusz Pudzianowski, better known as a Polish strongman, is one of the most famous Polish rugby players. He played with Budowlani Lodz but retired after one season
The standard of domestic rugby is relatively low in Poland. Most national players play in lower division teams in France (even in second/third teams) while some national players play in the domestic league. The main teams are based in the three main cities of Gdansk, in Warsaw and Łódź (the latter, being current national champions). In Poland, because rugby union is viewed as a “power sport”, flamboyance is not encouraged. The lack of foreign coaches stifles development, which is reflected by the national team’s performances in the European Nations Cup against nations with less financial muscle and a smaller player pool such as the Czech Republic and the Ukraine, as well as matches against Kazakhstan, and Morocco..
Since then the polish known for their inclined physical prowess have formulated their own brand of “rumble tumble” rugby. Though not the preferred strategy in the international arena the Polish will be looking to grind down the Tuskers hard as they come across the nippy Sri Lankan speedsters The Tuskers mobile forwards division, the Polish will look to contain with sheer brute force. Not to mention lay down heavy completion at the breakdown points with the hope of using their weight towards their advantage.
The Tuskers on the other hand would need to put the dynamism of the backs and mobility of the forwards to good use, stretching the Polish defense beyond their capability to drift in defense and put the ball in to open space letting loose the wingers who are certain to inflict damage. If they are to come on top in this encounter it is set to be one where strength and stature are surly tested.
