Would Oscar Wilde, in any of his dreams, have been relating to Sri Lanka when he was talking of rugby? He read classics at the Trinity College of Dublin from 1871 to 1874. Wilde sued the father of his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, for libel.
After a series of trials, Wilde was convicted of gross indecency and imprisoned for two years, hard labour. In prison he wrote De Profundis published in 1905. Oscar Wilde said: “Rugby is a good occasion for keeping thirty bullies far from the centre of the city.”
He was not alone when rugby was discussed by men of learning .George Orwell the English novelist compared a match under the 15-man code as the equivalent of “war minus the shooting.” Orwell’s quote is interesting, but doesn’t specifically refer to rugby; he went on to say “Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence: in other words it is war minus the shooting.”
Recently in Kandy at Nittawela we almost proved Orwell wrong: it would have been war and shooting. . That was when a gunshot was released in the playing enclosure. Was it or was it not? According to those who matter the player should be commended as it was he who defused a situation that would have been disastrous if a bullet had hit a spectator. Thanks to the player who grabbed the gun from an enraged soldier the disastrous consequences were avoided. A Joke that should not be taken too far as this is thinking everybody else is a fool.
 Orwell in Animal Farm says “"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” Orwell’s quote is related to s Sri Lanka in many ways as the arrogance of power is pervading and includes the schools. Many incidents that is unfolding on rugby rely on power being more equal include those who should set the standards thinking that they can say anything and get away with it.
Is Rugby becoming Thugby? Thugby is explained in the urban dictionary as; “when a “thug” or “gangsta” street kid wears clothing made by Ralph Lauren’s “Rugby” brand. Thug plus Rugby equals Thugby. Bakkies Botha was booted out of rugby for his head-butt on Jimmy Cowan in the New Zealand – South Africa Test at Eden Park. The newspaper columnist reported “It will be interesting to see if the Springbok selectors continue with Botha for their campaign in RWC 2011.”If they do it means that they are determined to win important matches through thugby rather than by playing rugby.”
In Sri Lanka Rugby the idea of winning is taken to mean win at any cost. You would have heard the often quoted phrase; we have spent so much on our team and the mistakes are taking, us down. Often taken to mean the mistakes of the referee as you never lose because of players, wrong game plan or that you never took the right option.
As a result we find that there is intimidation of levels including players, management, officials and spectators as well as parents and teachers. What about the referees who are always a maligned lot. They too are beginning to react by saying if you don’t behave we keep out of games. Many are doing so as the pressure is too much to handle. I have heard many of them say who will look at our security after what happened at Nittawela a few days ago.
Another area where the thug mentality is becoming a factor is when coaches start to forget the basics as well as the spirit that has kept the game together. When you are at the losing end then it is all too difficult to justify all that was spent on you. Who then becomes the scapegoat? Your guess: the referee. If they are the ones we have what else can you do other than play on. Got to play to the whistle and play and the advantage will never be over.
The derogatory statements that are made and given publicity and claimed to be the voice of others seem to be taking the referees and the schools concerned to a head on clash. It is a case of one calling the other arrogant.
The thinking is that they must play their games and therefore anybody if acceptable. No wonder school boys are accused at various forums for having taken supplements that are banned. Does it matter what the end is if it is used to justify the means.Brings me to focus George Orwell and his animal farm "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which."
Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB
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