While working in Ukraine for the international humanitarian organisation ACTED, Rugbeian Will Alston has found a remarkable way to stay connected to the game he loves.

Based in Ukraine since 2023, Alston plays for Kyiv Polyteknik, the country's oldest rugby club and a team competing in the Ukrainian Rugby Superliga, the nation's top division. Despite the ongoing challenges facing the country, rugby football continues to bring people together and provide a sense of community.

Having previously played rugby football in Jordan and Kurdistan during earlier overseas postings, Alston has experienced first-hand the power of sport to unite people in difficult circumstances. In Ukraine, that spirit of solidarity is particularly evident. Before matches, opposing teams stand together to sing the national anthem before exchanging the traditional call of "Slava Ukraini" ("Glory to Ukraine") and "Heroim Slava" ("Glory to the heroes").

Alston recently represented Kyiv Polyteknik at the Ukrainian Sevens Championship, where players and supporters observed a moment of silence in memory of members of the rugby community who have lost their lives defending their country since Russia's full-scale invasion.

Alongside its competitive success, Kyiv Polyteknik plays an important role in developing the next generation of Ukrainian players. The club acts as an academy for many of the country's most promising young rugby talents, helping to ensure the future of the sport in Ukraine.

Through photographs and reflections from his time with the club, Alston has offered a moving insight into a rugby community defined by resilience, camaraderie and a shared determination to keep the game alive in extraordinarily challenging circumstances.

Follow @rugby_polytechnic_Kyiv and @kurdistanrugby for more on Instagram for news and updates, and for those interested in the development of rugby in Kurdistan please consider watching this short documentary on Youtube: Kurdistan Rugby : A Journey of Passion.