Havies is a rugby training academy: Ana Saranapala
Havelocks won the Dialog Clifford Cup last season, as Ana Saranapala (pic below) predicted
Despite what happens year on year, Havelocks Sports Club is gearing up with their trademark ‘catch them young’ strategy, which has helped them earn respect, and a slot among the top two positions in Sri Lanka’s local rugby arena.
As the 2019/20 Dialog Rugby League season is set to unfold in a few months, Havies have lost the services of some of their key playmakers to other clubs, but legendary Ana Saranapala, who contributes to his former club in the capacity of honorary Advisor of Rugby, is unruffled, yet optimistic.
“Already Havies have lost five of our good players to other clubs. It’s sad, because we are like a family and losing them is a hard feeling. But at the same time, certain demands made by some players, were unreasonable. So, we had to reluctantly let them go. These are phases you must face and deal every year, but we have moved on, as a better side,” Saranapala, the former Isipathana, Havelocks and Sri Lanka coach, stated.
After having lost almost ten key players prior to the previous season, Havelocks didn’t depict they were lost or desperate. The Park Club wrapped up the season with a silverware — the Dialog Clifford Cup — in the Knockouts and finished second best to Kandy Sports Club in the Dialog Rugby League.
From predicted underdogs, to almost League champions and Knockout winners, the Havies have followed and adopted their mantra of ‘believing in young blood’, even in decisive battles. Even last season, Saranapala had noted, that some of the blokes were not honestly playing for the club. This is the point he had to have a open and genuine chat with the team.
“Last season I was tasked to talk to the players, and I told them what should be told straight. This resulted in some players leaving, and we were able to filter in those who were willing to contribute to the club. At the same time we focused heavily on recruiting school leavers, train them accurately to fit into the club level and give them a long-term contract. Eight senior players left, but the talented junior players and the effort of the coaching staff, gave us some good wins and a decent end to the season.”
Yet again this time around, Havelocks are back to square one. Through the run, even the club had setbacks, but they still managed to look after its players in all aspects. Even at present, Saranapala revealed that Havelocks are still going through a tough time, mostly because of the ongoing financial crisis, which has affected almost everyone.
“Those players were reluctant to leave, but they had to make the move. It’s their decision end of the day. But we will be fine. Havies are always known to rise from the ashes,” Saranapala explained.
Last season, when Saranapala met the team for the first time to have a pep talk, he said that he was highly impressed with the sight of the players’ determination and the dedication of the coaching staff. It may have been ‘love at first sight’, as Saranapala had easily predicted to the Havelocks coaching staff and the administration, that the side will snatch a trophy, for sure.
“This year we are yet to meet the final squad, but I’m certain we will be able to get an idea of where we stand and how to change our fortunes, very soon. Last year we had a blend of players – youth and experience. We did impressively well end of the day. Had we retained the ones who left Havies, I would have easily said that we are going to win a title. But with the vital slots empty, it’s premature to say where we will end up.”
Saranapala strongly believes in the fact that a strong bench, a bunch of determined youngsters — mainly school leavers –, a qualified coaching staff and a supportive administration, could easily help Havelocks gain good results, and a good understanding within the club’s players and officials.
“It’s very simple. The body needs the brain, heart and the lungs, to perform. If the brain is the Committee, the heart is the players and the lungs are the trainers. If all three perform equally well, we will perform well. My job is to see where we underperform from these areas and advise them. I don’t tolerate nonsense,” he said while explaining further.
“Havies has always been a rugby academy. Each year we experience an exodus of schoolboy leavers storming into our club. We take utmost care to nurture them, to be class acts. But what happens afterwards is a sad story. The moment they reach the pinnacle of quality players, they are pinched by trophy-hungry clubs. If Havies can train them to be fully-fledged, quality players, why can’t other clubs do the same, with the squad of players they have. All they need is the commitment and the dedication, an absolute perfect training method with quality coaches.
From the inception Havies never had readymade quality sides, we had to work pretty hard on each individual’s weaknesses.”
The same process will continue for Havelocks this upcoming season too. With a optimistic coaching staff headed by Sanath Martis, Lakala Perera and trainer Sunimal, their enthusiastic President and the young, energetic and experienced Rugby Committee, which includes Sammy Akbar, Roshan Opatha, Ruklan Cabraal and Mangala Dharmapriya, Saranapala underlined his hopes for another Havies’ success story.