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RUGBY IN CLOUD NINE
By Vimal Perera
The win over Kazakastan in the match played in Colombo was a victory and a morale booster for Sri Lanka to go ahead in rugby. The win gave Sri Lanka a better aggregate in the two matches of the Rugby World Cup qualifying round. The next hurdle is to meet and beat China. The matches are expected to be played in March 2006.

Sri Lanka once again hopes for a victory and has to have the best possible margin in the Colombo leg. With the win over Kazakasthan Sri Lanka now stand 46th in world Rankings. Up 20 places since the Asiad played just one year ago. Above us are Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Arabian Gulf, and China. This is a quantum leap for Sri Lanka who will climb higher in the Asian Circuit once they post a win over China.

This is not an impossibility nor is it a far fetched dream. Today it is a likelihood. The President and council of The Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union and its Executive Director no doubt have very much to be proud of. They have guided the affairs of rugby successfully in the past year and have helped to climb up from the bottom of the barrel. The ability to find the financial resources to conduct training sessions was one achievement which would have helped in the team preparations.

The progress of the game over the year has given confidence to the sponsors and Singer was there in a big way with the National Team. So has been Sri Lankan Airlines. Caltex has been another who has been in the forefront of sponsoring the domestic tournament.

National Coach George Simpkins, a much exited man on the day of the match, has to be given a major share of the credit. Others who contributed to the success were Assistant Coach C.P. P Abeygunwardena and Shyam Siddique who was involved in the training. D.U.M Jayetilleke fitness and strength trainer is another who should not be forgotten. Sanjaya Fernando the manger was always seen in the thick of things. Most of all the credit and praise to the players who performed remarkably well to attain the glory Sri Lanka rugby is in at present. I am sure they will be in good shape for the Matches against China and thereafter prepare even harder for the 2006 Asiad.

The Sri Lankan juniors will leave for the junior Asiad to be held during the second week of December. The young lads who are being coached by Simpkins we hope will do the country proud.

The spectators who were behind the National Team are an important aspect of the game and their presence encourages the team, the management and the sponsors.

While rugby is on the ascendancy in Sri Lanka an event that did not come off this year was the “Patana Sevens”. The Singer Sri Lanka Sevens being restricted to a tournament for the Asian Region and was limited to twelve teams in 2005. It is spoken of that the IRB should be talked to, so that international teams will be allowed for this tournament, to have greater glamour. At present the IRB thinking seems that there are adequate sevens tournaments.

An opportunity to be explored is the possibility of combining an international under nineteen tournament during the time the “Kandy Sevens” are played. An international “Sevens” at the junior level has not been heard of. Maybe we in Sri Lanka could promote it. The Asian countries participating and some of the countries from the Northern and Southern hemisphere can be invited for a start. This may be necessary as many schools seem to opt out of the tournament due to their desire not to prolong the school season.
In the development of the game another event planned for December 3 is the “Rugby Congress”

This will be an opportunity to plan for the game with all stakeholders being involved. This opportunity is to brainstorm and develop strategies for the future of the game. This is another step in the right direction.

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