Sri Lanka tracking towards world fame in rugby
Sri Lanka’s recent surge towards Asian top shelf in Rugby has drawn attention to the top teams who have dominated for decades, and they are taking notice of an emerging contender for world contention in a sport that is popular in a country that has played the game for over a hundred years. Yet, are they really serious about it.
Australia’s Melbourne Rebels are a case in point, where an offer for help to lift the country’s profile for a minimal sponsorship deal would result in the best advice and bi-lateral exchange for the game’s upliftment in the island has so far been met with minimal response from the game’s controlling body, the SLRFU, who have so far been cold to the offer.
The Sri Lanka 7s team finished overall third in Asia for 2013
The Melbourne Rebels have an active interest in wanting to take Sri Lanka Rugby places. But it is really up to them to want to get there.
Sri Lanka’s recent showing at the Asian Rugby Sevens circuit which saw them end up a creditable third among the best that Asia has to offer has earmarked them as a possible contender for a spill among the traditional favourites, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong who have for decades ruled Asian rugby.
Copious amounts of money poured into rugby development has seen the Island nation build themselves to be among the most respected outside of the favourites, and the notion is that they will soon be contenders to compete at World Cup level if they can develop their game to the required standard.
And there has been plenty of help on offer for them to get there if they can shed the laidback attitude that is a detrimental aspect to Sri Lanka sport over the decades which can be overcome by a positive and measured approach.
Outside of Cricket, Sri Lanka have had little to offer in terms of competition at a world level. So Rugby Union looms as the next best venture where they can mix it with the best because of the outstanding local talent they have which has up to date been sans foreign input unlike Japan, and Hong Kong who have relied mostly on top foreign imports to keep them on top of the Asian circuit.
With the right development programs, Sri Lanka could soon project themselves as a genuine contender but the powers that control their destiny have it up to themselves to make sure that they track it positively.