Sunday Observer Online
   

Home

Sunday, 24 April 2011

Untitled-1

observer
 ONLINE


OTHER PUBLICATIONS


OTHER LINKS

Marriage Proposals
Classified
Government Gazette

HSBC - ARFU Rugby Coaching tour embraces Colombo

RUGBY FOOTBALL: Frank Hadden hopes to have inspired a host of new rugby enthusiasts in Sri Lanka after the former Scotland coach spearheaded a clinic at an SOS Children's Village outside Colombo on Thursday in the latest leg of the HSBC ARFU (Asian Rugby Football Union) coaching tour.

The coaching clinic in Piliyandala featured 25 boys and six girls from the ages of 11 to 18, who also came from the country's four other SOS Children's Villages in Nuwara Eliya, Galle, Anuradhapura and Moneragala. There were also three youngsters from Jaffna, where another SOS community is being built.

'I have been looking forward to this trip ever since I presented the Sri Lankans with their Division I Trophy in Singapore last year," said Hadden, who coached Scotland from 2005 to 2009.

They love rugby here and although a lot of the kids hadn't played before, they showed natural ability and an appetite for some of the game's essentials like teamwork. And most importantly, they enjoyed themselves.

'The SOS Children's Village is an inspiring set-up and it's amazing what they are doing for the kids.

Hadden and Japan coach John Kirwan will lead this year's HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour, with support from the HSBC Penguin International Coaching Academy. Hadden spearheaded last year's inaugural Coaching Tour through Asia and admitted Sri Lanka was high on his wish list for this year's schedule.

"Last year, one of the most amazing things was finding rugby thriving in countries you wouldn't expect and this year I am really looking forward to going back to some of these places as well as going for the first time to the likes of Sri Lanka," Hadden said.

"The Sri Lanka team really impressed me last year. They played a very sophisticated brand of rugby and back then I had no idea they had such a long tradition of rugby and the fact they have 100,000 players, which is more than twice as many as there are in Scotland. `Perhaps it was no surprise that they played so well last year. I am confident they will do well again this time."

To follow up on Hadden's clinic in Piliyandala, HSBC is providing coach education, kit and equipment to the SOS Children's Village and will do so at every stop on the Coaching Tour to ensure a sustainable legacy in each community.

Nick Nicolaou, CEO of HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives, said: "HSBC has been a long-term supporter of rugby in Sri Lanka and we are excited to invest in grass roots development with the SOS Children's Village and introduce rugby to many youngsters who had not experienced this great game before.

"HSBC is dedicated to creating a rugby legacy in Sri Lanka and across Asia through this Coaching Tour and hopefully we can help inspire the next generation of HSBC Asian 5 Nations players."

The HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour continues its activities in Colombo on Friday at the CR & FC where Hadden will lead a coaching clinic for 70 schoolchildren, comprising 10 from each of seven emerging rugby schools.... Lumbini Vidyalaya, C.W.W. Kannangara Vidyalaya, Science College, Royal College Panadura, Hindu College, S.D.S. Jayasinghe Vidyalaya and St. John's College.

HSBC has a longstanding relationship with the SOS Children's Villages globally and this year's Coaching Tour will also visit similar communities in Kazakhstan one of Sri Lanka's Top Five competitors and Korea and Thailand, which will host Divisions I and II respectively.

HSBC ARFU Coaching Tour 2011: March 23 - Hong Kong; April 20-23 - Colombo, Sri Lanka; April 28-30 Hong Kong; May 5-7 - Bangkok, Thailand; May 11-13 - Dubai, UAE; May 12-14 - Almaty, Kazakhstan; May 19-21 - Hong Kong; May 19-21 - Colombo, Sri Lanka; June 2-4 - Incheon/Seoul, Korea; June 23-25 - Jakarta, Indonesia.

Dates to be confirmed: May - Macau; July - Hong Kong; August - Shanghai, China; September - Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia; October - Pattaya, Thailand; November - Goa, India; November - Singapore; November - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

EMAIL |   PRINTABLE VIEW | FEEDBACK

ANCL Tender - Saddle Stitcher
www.lanka.info
www.army.lk
www.news.lk
www.defence.lk
Donate Now | defence.lk
www.apiwenuwenapi.co.uk
LANKAPUVATH - National News Agency of Sri Lanka
Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL)
 

| News | Editorial | Finance | Features | Political | Security | Sports | Spectrum | Montage | Impact | World | Obituaries | Junior | Magazine |

 
 

Produced by Lake House Copyright © 2011 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

Comments and suggestions to : Web Editor