|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 4 July 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Sports |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Schools set to upstage club rugby Straight talk by Lal Gunasekera Nine weeks of Caltex 'A' Division Inter-Club League rugby and the end of the first-round clashes, and what have we got ? The number of spectators have certainly increased, but did they get their monies worth ? The standard is deteriorating fast and it will be interesting to see whether the spectators decline once the schools rugby season hosts up where the rugby dished out is much more interesting and far better too sometimes than what club sides come up with. The only club side that is a delight to watch is Kandy Sports Club, and to a certain extent the CR & FC. Kandy are the 'masters' and that is why they are the undisputed champions over the years. They are a talented and disciplined side. The reason - money is behind them in their recruitment drive. Other clubs do not have sufficient money to get top class foreigners or even local players. Kandy is the only side worthy of consistency - they have the material and have more talented players than any other side. This is a reality. Today, schools in the Kandy district do not possess professional coaches, but they are doing very well - Royal just managed to edge out Kingswood a couple of weeks back. What is the reason ? Every week-end these young schoolboys are at Nittawela the home ground of Kandy Sports Club absorbing everything that the seniors do. They have been doing this for the past 10 years or so, and the standards of these Kandy schools could be seen. Mucked up There are about 60 foreign players (Fijians, Samoans, Tongans, Kenyans, Englishmen and New Zealanders) registered with the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU), but are they the best ? Only a few are really good. A good example is the Havelocks. They signed on three Tongans, including one as coach cum player who even played in one particular game for a few minutes in deck shoes. After a few games, the hierarchy of Havelocks found that their professionals just could not deliver the goods and packed them off. What is the end result ? They have just won one game so far (that too over the Old Zahirians) and even lost to Air Force after 14 years. It has been a disastrous season for them, the worst that I could remember in a very long time. This is a side that fared quite well last year (2003) when they reached the semi-finals of the Clifford Cup and won the Premier Champions Trophy. Who was responsible in recruiting the Tongans for them this season ? All for money Players have no loyalty or even the love for the game nowadays. Now it's all money - nothing else. Do we witness any 'flowing' rugby now ? How many breakdowns occur during a game ? What has happened to the cross kicks, scissor and dummy passes, drop kicks etc ? You hardly see these now. There is also a lack of understanding between the trainers and the players. A trainer should know what material he has in hand and have sufficient time with his players. There seems to be no game plans. Players joining a club soon after their schooling lack the basics. This is very evident when they play club rugby. As I have said earlier, there are only two good sides. They are Kandy Sports Club and CR & FC. The CH & FC too could fit into this bracket. Most of the other clubs do not have the finances to recruit 'above average' players. The SLRFU does not have sufficient clubs to play in the 'A' Division, and this could be one of the reasons that certain clubs yet continue to play in the League. They can offer no opposition and players look dejected and demoralised. It's just senseless. Defunct SLRFU There has been a severe decline in our rugby standards in the last four to five years or so. What I cannot understand is that there are more players playing the game now, but there are no results to see. There has to be a development squad. This is a must. Like a student who sits for the GCE (Ordinary Level) Examination, then on to the Advanced Level before moving into the University, there must be a process for youngsters to graduate from school rugby to club and eventually national sides. Now what is happening is that they are put straight from the "frying pan into the fire". The SLRFU must seriously consider to start the club rugby season in August. The main reason is that the heat is unbearable during the months from March to May. The season could go on till November or December. This will also help the schoolboys (if they are talented enough) to join clubs and play. This could bring better results I am sure. Women's rugby the game ? The SLRFU has been spending lavishly on telecasting matches on Saturdays and the salaries/allowances of two of its top officials. This is of course money coming in from the International Rugby Board (IRB) meant for development purposes. The TV programme is now in peril with no money to pay the station to continue with it. What has also happened to Y.C. Chang's programme for development drawn up when he was the President ? What is the development done by the SLRFU ? Is women's rugby more important ? Sri Lanka have done quite well in the Rugby World Cup (Asian Qualifying) games winning both. They first beat India 54-17 scoring eight tries in the process in Bombay. Even at the 2002 Asiad in Bangkok, Sri Lanka trounced India 54-15. Then a few days back at Longden Place, the Lankans, did very well to beat Thailand 35-14 with five tries. This was creditable as the Thais had trounced Sri Lanka 72-0 at the 2002 Asiad and 38-28 at the 2000 Asiad in Japan. However, the Lankans have beaten the Thais 436-17 in the 2001 IRB-ARFU Triangular at Longden Place, 25-13 at the 1999 Neighbours Cup in Kuala Lumpur, 30-15 at the 1997 World Cup (Asian Qualifying) in Bangkok and 32-13 at the 1997 Quadrangular also in Bangkok. Well done Sri Lanka, keep it up as this does not mean that our standards are on par with the rest of the Asian countries like Japan, South Korea, Chinese Taipei and even Hong Kong and Malaysia. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
