SLRFU must take 10 best players and distribute them around - Dr. Maiya Gunasekera

by Lal Gunesekera

Lionel Almeida ... ‘Don’t mollycoddle any player.’	Dr. Maiya Gunasekera ... ‘Stop going on safaris before important tournaments.’

RUGBY: The 2007 season was quite successful one for Sri Lanka's rugby. They reached the semi-finals of the Singer-SriLankan International 7s after beating some good national sides from Kazakhstan and China, but failed against South Korea and Hong Kong. Then at the Singer Asiad in Colombo, Sri Lanka, lost to Kazakhstan in the final which they reached after 33 years.

As expected, Kandy Sports Club led by national skipper Jeewa Galgamuwa won the local 7s, the Caltex League with an unbeaten record and also the Caltex Clifford Cup. They fielded a young side for the revived President's Trophy and fared poorly. However, nine of their players were selected for the Asiad. Kandy won the Caltex League for a record seven consecutive years and the Caltex Clifford Cup eight times in nine years.

However, a former President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU), former chief selector who heads the National Sports Council (NSC), Dr. Maiya Gunasekera, was of the opinion that the 2007 season should have been shortened as decided by the Council some time back when an Asiad is around.This did not happen.

He felt that Sri Lanka should have won the Asiad in Colombo beating Kazakhstan whom they beat on an earlier occasion. He said that the preparation for this event was insufficient with players "going on safaris" two weeks before a major tournament which is "unheard of"..

He felt that the season was too long and also towards the latter stages of the game, the Sri Lanka players did not have the stamina.

Dr. Gunasekera speaking of the local scene, said that only two clubs (Kandy Sports Club and CR & FC) fielded strong sides and Kandy signing on good players, does not help other clubs to improve.

He said: "Kandy are not helping other clubs to nurture their players and Kandy has also deprived coaches to develop sides. The SLRFU must take immediate steps to take 10 best players and allocate them to clubs so that they could develop. Of late one finds about eight players "on the bench" who are good enough to play for a side.

Dr. Gunasekera further said that Sri Lanka has the material (boys and players) coming through the schools, but they are misguided and misdirected. The national side has to win games for the sport to prosper and for sponsors to come in.

He said that the domestic season is purely to groom players for the national outfit. He said: "Now, too much emphasis is laid on winning clubs."

Another former President of the SLRFU and top administrator, Lionel Almeida, said that he was "disappointed" when asked whether rugby has improved. A competitive game is needed and players must be more disciplined, fitter, stronger and dedicated, Almeida said.

He added that if the players are not prepared, then they should play only local rugby. We have to improve and build up from the junior level and also look at the structure to do what has to be done. Get reputed coaches from overseas for a period of three months and send them round the schools. Don't mollycoddle any players - the game is more important was Almeida's frank comment.

He said that once the game is more competitive, crowds will come to watch matches. He said: "The game was a crowd puller in the 1960s and even in the early 70's and that it was disappointing not to see any dummy passes, scizzers, drop kicks, cross kicks etc like in the "good old days".

He was also of the opinion that there must be modern coaching techniques and that training has to be structured and professionalism should come in.

Also, the SLRFU must find big-made players and was rather disappointed that Sri Lanka could not win the Singer Asiad even in Colombo.