History of Rugby 13 in Morocco.

 Many Moroccan athletes, especially fans of the oval ball know that Morocco has a rugby legend in France in the person of Abdellatif Benazzi, former captain of the five lights. But few of them know that the English themselves as Moroccan legend.His name Houcine Mbarki a product of Moroccan rugby was the heyday of several English clubs in the 1980s.+ From football to rugby, a successful conversion +.Like many of his generation, Mbarki began his sporting career in the late 1960s and early 1970s as a football player, who plays as goalkeeper in the FUS Rabat ( cadets) under the leadership of Abdullah Vegas.Athletic and fast player, Mbarki seemed destined for rugby, a sport he discovered for the first time in college Ibn Rushd Rabat before going to sharpen their weapons within the University Sports Club Capital (CSUR) in 1971 - 72.With his talent and perseverance, Mbarki was called Junior National Team in 1973 on the occasion of a course organized by the Federation Internationale de Rugby Amateur (FIRA) tournament in Bucharest, Romania.The rbati rugby continue its journey with confidence, reaching ASPTT Rabat and earning a place in the senior national team in 1975 alongside big names like Moroccan rugby Moumen Khabar and Zaoui.Mbarki still remembers the first international match against the Belgium team. This meeting resulted in a victory for the team of Morocco (27-3) with 23 points made by the young star.+ Narbonne, the first stop to the prestigious English Premier League +Prowess and talent of the young Moroccan rugby would soon attract the envy of French recruiters who approached Mbarki in 1977 to sign a contract with the club Narbonne, one of the best teams in France at the time.The passage of the Mbarki championship Hexagon last until 1980, during which he played for clubs Caussade second division and that of Cahors (first division)."I learned a lot during my French experience," said Mbarki that journalists liked to compare Guy Noves, one of the stars of French rugby.Having practiced the sport / business at the highest level, the Moroccan player felt in 1980 that he was ready to embark on a new adventure, this time in England, where rugby is considered the most popular sport with football.The London club Fulham, then newly created, did not hesitate to enlist the services of a rare bird to increase its workforce to cope with the English Premiership Rugby 13: the dreaded Super League.End technician and speedy winger wielding perfectly assists and intelligent methods of defense and transformations facing opponents feared for their physical imposing Mbarki, barely 24 years old, has quickly made a place in the pantheon of greats Super League.+ The "Moroccan Gold" seduced English +The English press is specialized not remain indifferent to the prowess of the young Moroccan. The Times, The Independent, The Mirror to name the newspapers were full of praise for the Mbarki first player Moroccan, Arab and Muslim to evolve in the English professional league."Moroccan Gold", "Black Stallion", "Flying the Arab" are some of the nicknames given to the Moroccan player. But as Mbarki stated with pride, the most emotional title remains one of Fulham fans have given him "Houcine, Forever a legend" (Houcine a legend forever), a title that speaks volumes about the relationship Mbarki always eats with his club."The speed and force Mbarki captured the imagination of the entire Rugby League," we read in particular the specialized magazine "Harlequins Rugby League."In addition, the book "Touch and Go", which traces the history of Rugby League, devoted several passages Moroccan player, and he has left indelible traces in clubs Warrington, Hull, Oldham and Fulham.Mbarki, also known as one of the great survivors of British Rugby League is proud to have Co? Toye great names of English rugby as Reg Bowden, John Crossley, Steve Diamond, John Dalgreen, David and John Eckersly Gallagar.+ Social Action and Development of rugby more.After an extremely rich career, Houcine Mbarki will focus on social work and development of Rugby 13.In the neighborhood of Barking (East London), Mbarki contributed to the creation of an association for the promotion of the integration of Arab and Moroccan women in British society and the association that Âœuvre to Mohammedia know the culture and the Moroccan civilization on British soil.Rugby continues to occupy a prominent place in the life of Moroccan athlete who travels parts of London in search of new talent, especially among Moroccan and Arab communities.From England, his adopted country, Mbarki always follows rugby in Morocco, a country which, he says, is full of a lot of talented players capable of rehabilitating the Moroccan oval ball.