The Sunday Times Sports - What’s cooking in Colombo?

What’s on the fire? The smell seems to be inviting. This week the external signs, of the rugby fiesta, by way of hoardings started to come up in the city. All arrows will then point towards the CR and FC grounds and the Sugathadaa Stadium. These will be the two venues for the forthcoming Rugby Asiad. The event will take place in Colombo from the 17th to the 25th of November.

The main attraction will be the Qualifying round matches for the Rugby World Cup 2007. The fight for supremacy and who will take part in the world cup from Asia will be between Japan, Korea and Hong Kong. Sri Lankan rugby fans will get the opportunity of seeing the best of Asia play each other. The Japanese, as I understand are taking the tournament very seriously. They are to make their presence with a contingent comprising of 26 players and 14 officials. Also coming with them will be some of their fans. Already plans are in place for them to take a floor in the host hotel and arrangements made for special facilities for food. That is how serious they are. On 19th November Korea will play Hong Kong. On the 22nd Japan will be playing Hong Kong. The best of the matches is expected to be between Japan and Korea and will be played on the 25th of November.

In the Plate vying for honours will be Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Chinese Taipei, Kazakhstan, China and Singapore. The bowl, where Sri Lanka was last year, will see Malaysia, India and Pakistan joined by newcomer Iran. Sri Lanka who was in the bowl during the last Asiad has taken a leap into the Plate this time around. Though not playing with the big boys of Asia they now face better and harder challenge. With teams evenly matched the matches in this group are expected to be closely contested. Sri Lanka will have to come up with performance that will continue to keep them up with the rest. The team to be watched in this group will be China. Though beaten by Sri Lanka during the RWC qualifying round matches China will be no pushover. Sri Lanka under the new coach will have to be in good shape to make an impact of being worthy contenders on the plate.

The new pavilion and additional facilities being constructed at the Longdon Place venue will be in place for the Asiad. With more facilities for players and officials the Longdon Place venue will be the “Mecca” of rugby in Sri Lanka. An important addition will be the availability of the physical facilities to conduct dope tests. With the IRB forging ahead with their intention to keep the game clean there will be in place people and facilities to conduct such tests during the Asiad 2006.

While Sri Lanka prepares for the Asiad a helpful addendum for the preparation of its team will be the inter- provincial tournament that is taking place at the moment. This will give the selectors an opportunity to watch the players and give Willie the National Coach a pool to centre his plans around. Sri Lanka has to take the game seriously as they have to remain above the rest as they plan to among the best.

Initially there was a lot of doubt about players being available for this tournament. The clubs themselves had reservations of the players being available after a gruelling season.

It is most encouraging that the optimism of the authorities has paid off and the best of the players are in the middle battling. It is not only for the provinces but for themselves that to wear the National jersey must be a pride and one has to earn it. To be seen and to be considered for national duty is reaching the correct angle. It was in 1992 that the new constitution of the SLRFU was adopted. The core of the constitution was the formation of Provincial Unions. It should have then followed that there should have been tournaments among the constituent clubs of the provinces. This should then have led to a national level tournament such as a super league among the best clubs of the provinces. This then should have led to a healthy competition among the provinces as the plum of rugby’s championship. Though this did not happen for around 14 years since the adoption of the new constitution it is encouraging that an inter-provincial tournament is taking place. We may go a step further by going backwards and starting an inter-club tournament in the provinces. What I mean is one that will see rugby at a level as in the league and or the knock out. Not ones where there are clubs formed to take part to ensure more voting at the AGM.