Rugby is one of the biggest team sports, certainly one of the most polar sports in the world, made up of exceptional individuals. It is quite certain that rugby is not as popular in Serbia as it is in the world, but here it has an impressive and very interesting history. Marko Kapor definitely marked an era of Serbian rugby and continues to leave a mark on our sport. It is an indispensable part of the domestic “rugby mythology”.
One of the most trophy rugby players in this area. Kapor was a total of 13 times senior national champion. Very impressive. The player with the most appearances for the national team, 50 in total. The player who scored the most points for the National Team, 209 points to be exact. Kapor played a total of 25 competitive senior rugby seasons. He started 26th season, where he has so far scored 3 essays for RK Rad. We weren’t allowed to ask him about the end of his career, because he always frowns at us when we call him a veteran.
Apart from his playing successes, Kapor is now a coach with many years of experience. He is currently the active coach of the first team of RK Rad and the Serbian national team in rugby 7. In addition to his coaching job, he also performs activities of active management of the club. Let’s remember that before, RK Pobednik, like most clubs, trained on fields where there were not always changing rooms and ideal conditions. One of the most significant things was the move to the auxiliary field of the Kralj Petar I stadium, in Banjica. Reflectors have been installed, and in the last year, the club rooms have also been installed. Quite a big legacy for RK Rad and rugby in general. Below you can read Mark Kapor’s interesting rugby story. Enjoy.
Rugby.rs: When did you start playing rugby? How did you find out about rugby?
М. Kapor: I had my first rugby training practice on March 10, 1993. godine. I learned about rugby at the “United Nations” Primary School, where I was a student, through a presentation made by the coaches from the Žarkovo rugby club.
Rugby.rs: You joined RK Žarkov in the younger categories, can you tell us something more about that?
M. Kapor: My first rugby steps were taken in Žarkovo and that was definitely the period when I learned the basics of rugby. We had a talented generation and were lucky that at the same time Kruševac, Partizan, Dinamo from Pancevo and KBRK also had quality teams, so I played good rugby through the youth competition.
Rugby.rs: Back in 1996. RK Pobednik, today’s RK Rad, was founded, how difficult were the club’s first steps?
M. Kapor: I was only 16 years old when Pobednik was created, as a kid I didn’t feel the weight of a young club that much at that time, but if we keep in mind that the senior team was made up of players who came from other clubs, I think that the club had a good foundation from the start , and with us younger people and a secure future.
Rugby.rs: You were part of the U20 national team, which in 1999. performed in Switzerland at the world championship before the beginning of the bombing. How did it all look from the point of view of a nineteen-year-old?
M. Kapor: Very difficult, the very beginning of the bombing found us in Switzerland and that was the day before a very important game for us against Tunisia, we unfortunately lost the game with a narrow result even though Tunisia was the absolute favorite. As a young man I constantly had images in my head of war and bombing, of course much worse than it really looked.
Rugby.rs: The beginning of the new millennium was marked by Pobednik’s team, which took the lead with two consecutive titles of the National Champion, what are your impressions from that period?
M. Kapor: My first big success was winning the National Championship in the senior category and that is definitely the period that is mentioned in the question. As a young player I had the impression that we were invincible and that we would win titles forever. However, it turned out that it is very difficult and that one has to really work and train a lot in order to achieve success and the expected result.
Rugby.rs: After disbanding the senior team of RK Pobednik, the key players of Pobednik moved to RK Partizan, where they created an extremely powerful team. Did the concentration of the best players in one club affect the good results of the national team?
M. Kapor: Seen from the current angle, it could be said that it is. Although the league was quite weak and without competition, the collection of the best players in one team, on the other hand, brought that practically one team made up the national team and that the boys had many joint games during the year as a club, and at the same time as a national team, which brought good results.
Rugby.rs: The reactivation of Pobednik was accompanied by a great deal of work with the younger categories of Boško Strugar. Together with experienced players who returned from Partizan, a team was formed that dominated Serbian rugby until 2013. , what are your experiences from that period?
M. Kapor: The reactivation of Pobednik is something that came about as a result of common sense and the friendship of the people who made it happen with Boško, who did an excellent job with the younger categories that continues to this day. In the mentioned period, I was in the best shape and the best age for rugby, both me and a couple of my teammates, we played excellent rugby and as a result came the titles.
Rugby.rs: The only trophy that was not won by the Winner in that period is the Regional League trophy. How much regret is there for that?
M. Kapor: Although we played good rugby, Nada showed that it was better at that moment, it remains a pity that we did not manage to beat Nada at least once in the mentioned competition, and we had the opportunity when we lost in Belgrade with a score of 14:11.
Rugby.rs: During that period, you also tried your hand as a coach. Together with Milan Rastovec, you formed a young rugby sevens team and won the European Series tournament. How much did that experience influence your career?
M. Kapor: An unreal result at the very beginning of a coaching career, we did something that no one has done before or since. From that moment on, I simply fell in love with rugby sevens and coaching in that discipline. Winning this tournament brought me a lot and to this day I use some things as a coach that I used back then.
Rugby.rs: Did you have an offer to try abroad? To play in a foreign league?
M. Kapor: It was at the championship in Switzerland during the bombing that I was noticed by Jean-Pierre Juancic from France, who in the following year managed to find me a job in a club from France. However, unfortunately for my rugby (and fortunate for private life) and various reasons, the engagements did not materialize.
Rugby.rs: It’s already far away in 2014. , the name Pobednik was changed to RK Rad. The training base was transferred to Banjica. A big step was securing a permanent training ground. How much did it affect the functioning of the club?
M. Kapor: Exactly on the 18th. birthday and the coming of age of the club, we made the decision that due to long training in Banjica and receiving excellent conditions from FC Rad, our rugby section will carry the famous name that the footballers also carry. It is this fact that contributed to the fact that we currently have the best conditions for training rugby in the country. In addition to the training field, we received land on which the construction of the club premises is underway, where there will be a cashier’s office, an office, a meeting room, showers and changing rooms.
Rugby.rs: You have enviable experience in the Serbian National Team, what’s more, you have the most appearances in history. What moment in the national team left the biggest impression on you?
M. Kapor: There are more of them, such as the victory against Switzerland with the transformation of Grujic in the last second in Gornji Milanovac, the victory in Malta against a much stronger opponent, in the defeat against Armenia, my little girl scored all the points for our selection, there were certainly more, but these singled out.
Rugby.rs: RK Rad is the technical partner of the Rugby Union of Serbia in the organization of the Conference 1 rugby tournament 7. What is the organizational effort for the club?
M. Kapor: It is a great honor for the club to be part of such an event, but believe me, it is also a great effort. Every member of the club is at the service of the Association and everyone is obliged to take a certain role in the organization of the tournament at the maximum level.
Rugby.rs: RK Rad currently work on club house How important is this project for the club?
M. Kapor: In addition to the field and reflectors, which were once important projects, the construction of the club house is the biggest project that the club will try to implement, and I believe will implement in the near future.
Rugby.rs: Very talented students of the youth school grow up in the club. Is a new golden generation of the club on the horizon?
M. Kapor: The golden generation is already here, we have a big test to try to keep them together. We are witnessing a large number of players leaving when they reach the senior category, so we will do our best to keep the future generations together in the senior competition.
Rugby.rs: What are your hobbies and interests outside of rugby?
M. Kapor: A proud husband and devoted father of three children. I am a big sympathizer and fan of Rad FC, so going to matches and following the club is definitely in my sphere of interest.
Rugby.rs: What would you say to young players in Serbia?
M. Kapor: That rugby is a specific sport and not only a sport but also a way of life. If they realize it in time, I’m sure they will be better people who will appreciate the environment.
