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What is the problem with Rugby? What is happening? This is a question is now asked very often? Often something happens. It is not for the good of the game. We have an injunction against holding of the schools league tournament. Is there any ethics, commnly called sportsmanship, left in the game? To the accuser or the accused, I have no brief. What bothers me is that the game will suffer.
We are in hot water in one form or other as the season begins. The schools issue is followed by the National Team in a pickle. The evil spirit rises under the same name: Captaincy. The selection committee recommended a captain. The captain has to be ratified by the sports ministry. Before that the information was leaked to the press. The question is by whom?
A protest was lodged and referred to National Selection Committee. In their wisdom, they appoint another to Captain. The players supportive of the captain decides not go on tour. That is fifteen in number.
In The Sunday times of November 2nd 2008 I wrote “One must understand that whoever takes the role of an official has no easy task. It is time consuming and demanding and could also be stressful. … The fact that they could have been objective and they deserve to be respected would have been taken into account. Also that they have the talent required to do the job …...The authoritarian decision while using the power of the law at your disposal I doubt did any good to rugby. It is no secret that the last lot of selectors resigned before being removed while the present situation is one of I am first on the draw as it was in the Wild West. Then it was survival today it is ego.” Once again the wheel has turned.
Is there a curse on rugby? Like the Billy Goat Curse on the cubs in 1945.
The selectors have given publicity to the criteria used in deciding the captain. Similar to if not word to word the same criteria that was followed by the selection committee headed by JPA Jayawardena. This criteria was then alleged as proposed by Lewke and his council. It was thought to be bad and very bad and we know the end result .What was bad then seems good now. Rugby suffers and continues to suffer.
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| Would Lankans club rugby be the same again ? |
Meanwhile it was reported that Chairman Sports Council said; “Yes there were two candidates and the person originally named was based on a quantitative analysis meaning on the number of matches he had played. However, I recommended Pavithra Fernando as Captain based on a qualitative analysis.” This statement has not been refuted. Meaning that the “selectors cannot do a proper analysis. These gentlemen (?) who were considered honourable and capable must be surely feeling let down.
People keep asking what rugby knowledge or insight to rugby the final decision maker had? What does he know of what was happening on the field? That is a qualitative question good for a debate as in the case of Freud’s use of the terms quantitative and qualitative in psychoanalysis or as in a discussion on nudity in art. This has to be qualitative. In rugby terms this was a classic blind side move complete with a side step and a dummy.
This decision has put the players in a state where their weakness will prevail over their strength. A new can of worms is opened. We have in the past overruled the selectors when players protested. There is precedence. This time the players want to stick by what the selectors have done. The best would have been to have let the selectors do their job however bitter the pill may be. Ultimately everything stinks while the game suffers.
“Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis” tickles me very much. Excuse me if I am digressing into academic ground. These words ring a bell when it comes to business and or investment decision making. Quantitative analysis is a way of measuring things, such as using simple financial ratios. Business has qualitative considerations such as the character of management or the state of employee morale. Quantitative and qualitative factors though distinguishable, they have to be combined to arrive at for sound business judgment.
Sociologist also depend on quantitative or qualitative research methods. The important issue is about discovering 'truth' - but what exactly is 'truth'? It depends on how someone is looking at things. The way they look at is known as a ‘paradigm’: 'a framework for thinking’ to ascertain truth. . The 'truth' that is uncovered through quantitative research is grounded in mathematical logic. Yet there are the variables which stem from subjectivity that can not be readily identified or measured. Then they use interpretive research paradigm known as qualitative analysis. This involves is more in-depth investigations to establish a verdict such as in a court of law. The evidence can be circumstantial and even where there is eye-witness accounts, doubt can always be cast on the veracity or reliability of the observers. Interpretive research is primarily descriptive. The emphasis is on exploration and insight. Thus it is subjective and well suited to justify a decision as that taken for rugby captaincy.
In analytical Chemistry too the term "quantitative analysis" is used in comparison to "qualitative analysis". For instance, a chemist might be given an unknown solid sample. He or she will use "qualitative" techniques to identify the compounds present, and then quantitative techniques to determine the amount of each component in the sample.
You decide on the word used to describe the selection of a captain and how many you think have flown over the cuckoos nest. The news is that the Sri Lankan team did well in Dubai before going down to Taipei They played and did well to lead under the Captaincy till Pavithra was taken out. Not because he was to be taken out but because a Sri Lankan official sent the wrong player number. What a mess? That is what I get on face book.
- Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB
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