Development is because Havelock’s Sports Club is in line for the league crown along with Kandy and Navy who have a chance.  That is what some think. The chances for Navy are if they beat Havelock’s and Havelock’s beat Kandy. The Park club is vying for top honours and has a showpiece ground in place of the tattered environment that existed. If this is the yardstick to measure the success of rugby then we are on road to see the dawn of light. You are glad when you walk in to the Park Club and you are happy and excited as the game is in progress with many diehards shouting themselves hoarse again.

The winning whiff they scented in their era that is breathed again. It does not matter that the laws have changed and the onus is on the tackler to release the tackled player so that that the ball can be released. But then you go on shouting “holding on” and have crack at the expense of the referee and the crowds enjoy such wise talk. When we talk of rugby development the wise men point to Havelock’s   and also says that the crowd is bigger than last year.

The under nineteen division 2 is to be played in Sri Lanka in the second week of September and Sri Lanka will be taking part. The latest law trials of the IRB will have begun implementation in ARFU’s region on September 1, so they will apply in this tournament.  These law changes have so far not been applied in Sri Lanka but the juniors will have to play under these changes while the seniors will do the same in the A5N next year.

Two significant changes will be the application of the use it or lose it principle to unsuccessful end to a ruck where there will be a turnover scrum as in the case of the maul. The ball being held to slow down the game is seen in the domestic tournaments and adaptation will be necessary.  Most experts believe the new scrum engagement sequence of “crouch-touch-set” had no real change.  One should read the changes with the brief given by the IRB   in, June 2012.  Three actions: crouch means crouch, touch means touch and set means set while you have to bind on the props’ body, not arm, and   need to hit it straight and stay straight. The referee is to take control of the engagement procedure and not the players. Unless this is coached you may find your team is penalized a lot because of the focus on proper binding and square driving. Have we planned to face this as the changes are implemented?

I was glad when I travelled to Diyagama to watch the Army play CH and FC. I was very glad that I saw Shiran Anthony the President of the Gymkhana Club and Prasantha Wimalasena the Secretary present at the match. Sad because it looked that all the mice had deserted ship as the rag tail CH took the grounds without a coach and times have become sour.  It is also creditable that despite the ship being exposed to sinking they did field a side mid week in the B division while I keep thinking of the development. The governing body is happy that the crowds are more than last year insulated by the high wall whilst those outside people wonder! What is happening?
Development is when he union votes by a majority which includes mostly club representatives to suspend a referee. This creates a precedence that will lead to a situation where the referees will be in tension to perform to the satisfaction of the hierarchy. The vociferous hierarchy is those with specific affiliations representing the club at the council and is prone to think in terms of justifying what they spend. If a referee has made mistakes you got to take action and   that has been done as in the case of Wayne Barnes by giving him a cooling period and he is back in action. Did the countries take this decision or was it the IRB referees committee? Will this action lead to the development of   more nasty situations which might be worse than is now? When the juice is extracted the bulk is pulp that is useless.  Decisions have to be made considering living in the present with the future in mind while remembering the past. If it is to subdue a present issue the future will always be impacted with creative taking over.

The issues of invading the field are another significant development that we see being continued from last year. We saw this in a prestigious and historical battle between two schools. We saw gun totting and firing arms in Kandy, last year.  This it is a brawl between poor sportsman and a different party.  Like last year we trade words accusing each other.  Luck was that there were no gunshots but the mayhem it caused does nothing to be proud of.  It looks bad when the hooliganism spreads to the main stands. It is easy to request the   sides in the brawl to sit and sort the problems. One aspect in the management process is leading which involves directing, influencing and motivating.   Involved are Kandy and Navy and irrespective of credentials those appointed to lead must do so even it hurts your bum.
In reality what you see may not be the distant dawn but the light of an oncoming monster vehicle that may pin you down and knock you unconscious. The things that are growing around rugby don’t seem to be little plants that look nice but are carnivorous leading to destruction.

Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB

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