Non-native sports such as hockey, rugby, cricket and climbing are becoming more and more popular in Vietnam thanks to the love of those sports by foreigners living in the country.

One example is the Saigon Rugby 10’s competition.

The third edition of the Saigon Rugby 10’s was recently hosted at RMIT University in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, and attracted nearly 400 participants that were divided into 16 teams.

Outside the pitch, stalls selling jerseys and other merchandise attracted the attention of onlookers.

Rugby might be new to the Vietnamese people, but Saigon Rugby 10’s has managed to capture their attention.

“Lots of foreigners living and working in Vietnam love rugby,” said Peter Holdsworth, a British businessman and head of the organizing committee of the Saigon Rugby 10’s event.

“We are hosting this competition because we want rugby enthusiasts here to have a playground.

“We also want Vietnamese people to come here, watch it, learn more about it, and have a good time with it.

“That is why we are hosting this event professionally.”

Rugby is not the only foreign sport turning heads in Vietnam.

The Vietnam Hockey Festival at the Thuan Dao Industrial Park in the southern province of Long An was held over two days in November 2017, and was a huge success.

Players during a game at the Hockey Festival. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The event was smaller than Saigon Rugby 10’s, but was in its tenth edition, and has also attracted more and more participants throughout the years.

Among those taking part in the event, 400 people came from overseas destinations, ranging from Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei, to as far away as India, the Netherlands, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.

There were around 100 local Vietnamese players, which for a new sport is a considerable number, especially given its relatively high cost.

Hockey players need to spend money on pieces of equipment like sticks, helmets and gloves, among other items.

Most of the Vietnamese players were young students who were excited to experience something new.

“I started playing this a few months ago,” said Nguyen Ngoc Tien, a freshman at Ton Duc Thang University in Ho Chi Minh City. “I was impressed watching the previous competition and decided to try it.”

“Then I was chosen to be in the university’s team. I used to play football, but it is hard to tell which one is more fun.

A hockey session at Ton Duc Thang University, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

“But I am instructed specifically in the hockey team, have a chance to meet foreigners and even join the national team.”

The man credited with first bringing hockey to Vietnam is Singaporean businessman James Chew.

Chew, who has lived and worked in Vietnam for a long time, invested heavily in his passion for hockey, hiring pitches, building centers, recruiting and coaching players, and inviting foreign athletes to Vietnam.

“I am staying in Vietnam for five days. The cost of the trip is around US$1,200,” said Jack Horthon, an athlete from Australia.

Players during a game at the Hockey Festival. Photo: Tuoi Tre

“I take it as if I am traveling, not just taking part in a competition. If I travel on my own, I have to explore Vietnam myself. But now I am welcomed as a guest and have many friends taking part in the same competition. It’s worth it.”

“We have competitions like this in the Netherlands,” said James Van Der Beek, a foreigner working in Ho Chi Minh City.

“They are hosted according to the seasons and attract a lot of people.

“It is not actually a competition, more like a festival, because we do not value the results.

“People play because they love it.”

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