One of the most sought after rugby referees in Sri Lanka is old Sylvestrian Aruna Rankothge who has just returned to the country after completing two assignments in Dubai and the Philippines.
Rankothge, who turned out for his school, for Kandy SC (1991) and for Kandy Youth for two years as a flanker and center, has been on the International Panel of the ARB for the past eight years. He was successful at the Level Three Referees Course conducted by the IRB and held in Dubai. Last year he gained promotion to the Elite A Panel of International Referees of the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU).
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| Anura Rankothgein action |
He has visited every rugby-playing country in Asia and has a particular affinity with Dubai, which country he has been to eight times to referee the Asian Five Nations Tournament, the Dubai Sevens and the World Cup Sevens. This year, he stood in the final of the Asian Division Two Tournament match between Korea and Taipei in the Philippines. Indonesia, Thailand, Korea, Singapore, Pakistan, India and Malaysia are the other countries where his peregrinations have taken him. Rankothge says that refereeing a game, even a final, abroad is a piece of cake.
Key matches in Sri Lanka are a different affair due to crowd pressure and club rugby politics. Referees, he points out, are also human and will make a mistake or two. It is a thankless job, as the referee has to keep an eye on all thirty players on the field. He feels that the Sri Lankan referees’ job is made harder as he has to do without technical assistance. The ‘talking-flag’ which is very useful is not available locally. Our referees, says Rankothge, are of a very high standard and are second only to those from Japan and Hong Kong. That is why local referees are often assigned matches in the Asian region.
Top rugby players don’t always make good referees. On the other hand a referee because he is (or should be) steeped in the law can make a good coach. Quizzed as to what makes a good referee, he mentions the following – management ability, impartiality, knowledge of the laws, physical fitness, concentration and the ability to withstand pressure.
Rankothge is a trifle sad that he has been able to blow in only one Bradby Shield game. The reason is not incompetence but the fact that he has been the coach of the Trinity Under 16 team for the past six years.
A Human Resources Executive at Amaya Hills Hotel for fourteen years, he is adamant that he couldn’t have achieved all that he has, had it not been for the wonderful support he has received from his company.
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