Is rugby in Sri Lanka in Turmoil and is it losing interest. Events that unfold and pictures that tell a story do not say so.
An interesting event during last week was the re-emergence of the much maligned Western Province Rugby Football Union.
They organized an under 10 and 12 rugby Carnival which was well attended, It was not only the schools of the Western Province that was there but also schools from the Wayamba and Central Province. What is most interesting was the record participation of teams for games which were played using 4 pitches at Reid Avenue
It is reported that The Hong Kong Mini Rugby Football Union will attempt to land in the Guinness Book of World Records when they host what they hope would be the world's largest mini rugby tournament at Hong Kong Football Club and Happy Valley Sports Ground on October 30. The HSBC-sponsored event will have some 3,000 players aged from four to 12 years. The current world record for a mini rugby tournament is 832 players, according to Kim Lam, chairwoman of the organizing group.
According to Shamrath Fernando the Secretary of the Western Province the Participation at the WP Mini-Rugby carnival was 840. He claims that this is the world record now as it is more than the 832 quoted above.
There were eleven teams from Royal while most schools had two or more teams. There was huge participation of parents who were there to support the children. It was nice to see that the game is very much alive. There were also moments of anxiety as the Mamas kept vigil as the very young stumbled and sported bruises. Being very young the tendency was to cry and give the signal for more comfort by the parents. Only that they would get up and be on the field for the next game or at the sight of food and drinks distributed among the team mates.
Another feature and a giant step of the Western Province was that there were no trophies and no champions. Thus the game was enjoyed by all those who played. It was enjoyed so much that when teams finished their matches they wanted to play more and more with others and there was more friendly matches played.
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| Fatest kid on the show is recognised |
A word of caution to the coaches is not to corrupt the mind of these young. The very small cried when they tumbled or fell hard. They were like infants who had just got off the mother’s lap having had their last feed of milk.
They are innocents still dying for that comfort on the lap of Mama or Papa. Coaches and teaches have a major role to play on developing the innocence to encourage the inculcation of the spirit of the game. In this scenario if a player of one team is substituted in another to secure a win that is not sport. Also if you try to beat the age barrier as there is no check on the birth certificates then you do a huge damage? Bluntly said they should not be encouraged to handle children.
It was a moment of truth to see the fastest player on the field being recognized by the one time fastest in Asia Summa Navaratnam.
I was told by The Vice President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union about the realization that the strictures on Sri Lanka by the IRB is hanging over its head like the Sword of Damocles. It is a lot of unease that is resting on the head of the union. It had been noticed that Sri Lanka has not been considered in the same status of members when the Rugby World Cup handouts were made. Sri Lanka assumed that all was going well with the acceptance of its participation in events as well as being given the go ahead for the Carlton Sevens and I too thought the same way.
SLRFU sought an appointment with the Secretary General of IRB to discuss matters. Without hesitation and delay the IRB suggested that they meet in Delhi as the SG was expected for the Commonwealth Games. It was the Vice President Lasitha Gunaratne who met the Secretary General in Delhi.
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| Teams ready for games ahead |
Having patiently listened to the points raised. Gunaratne believes that there will be a positive response and also there is a possibility that the much needed development funds will be released. An interesting argument of by Gunaratne which included that it was circumstances that forced the use of the sports law. It was to continue the administration at the time of an impasse. If not the administration would have broken down due to the vacuum created by the resignations which is now history.
The rugby union is to disband the sevens squad after a woeful Commonwealth Games showing and will start from scratch for next month's Asian Games. That was a news item which was followed by another which read: The 7s rugby team is set to pay the price for their pathetic performance in the just-ended New Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Team Manager said he would propose to the Rugby Union to withdraw the team from next month’s Guangzhou Asian Games. These news items appeared in the Malaysian press and were about their team. Interesting piece of news and food for thought as our teams also keep bouncing up and down as a yo- yo would.
Vimal Perera is a former
Rugby Referee, coach and
Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB |
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