Kandy SC worried about three withdrawals for International 7's

by Lal Gunesekera

RUGBY: A crucial meeting of the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) Executive Committee was scheduled for yesterday (Saturday) in Seoul, South Korea to find ways and means of successfully staging the Kandy Sports Club organised Singer-SriLankan Airlines International Rugby 7's.

The meeting was brought about to prevent any more withdrawals and try to persuade Singapore and Arabian Gulf to compete in this International Rugby Board (IRB) Asian 7's Series event without any further hiccups. The tourney is to be staged at Nittawela on September 7,8 and 9.

A disappointed Iswan Omar, Chairman of the Organising Committee, told the Sunday Observer that Hemantha Yatawara, the Tournament Director, and Dilroy Fernando, Chief Executive of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) were to make a presentation at this Exco meeting of the ARFU, in an attempt to persuade Japan, Arabian Gulf and Singapore to compete in this event in Kandy next week.

Omar said that Japan did not play last year (2006) too, but agreed and even confirmed their participation in this event this year. However, they (the Japanese) have cited "security concerns" for their withdrawal. Arabian Gulf and Singapore too are citing the same reason.

He said: "This is after DIG Nimal Lewke, Commandant of the Special Task Force (STF) who heads the SLRFU and also ARFU, made a successful presentation in Brunei only a couple of months back and also countries agreed to play in the Asiad in Colombo in November. If they can play in Colombo, why cannot they play in Kandy was the question hosed by Omar.

Singapore have also indicated that they are committed to paly in the Shanghai 7's around the same time, but that the IRB Development Officer, Gerard Callaher's plea to Singapore RFU, had fallen on deaf ears.

Omar said that the parents of the Singaporean players have stated that they are nervous to send their offsprings to Sri Lanka. The IRB too have been requested to intervene in this matter.

"There is something wrong somewhere. For so many years we have been conducting this event without any problem. We have fulfilled every request and spent a lot of money.

Now (as it stands) we have to think of having two pools of five countries each. However, a final decision could be made only after we hear the outcome of the ARFU Exco meeting" said Iswan Omar.

The 10 countries now who will compete in Kandy will be: South Korea, China, Kampuchea, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India and Malaysia.