Useful tips to carry forward rugby football in Sri Lanka - Rizwan
Omar
by Upananda Jayasundera - Kandy Sports Special Corr.
Rizwan Omar - Kandy Sports Club's representative has come forward
with some useful suggestions that help the Sri Lanka Rugby Football
Union to carry the game forward in its development efforts.
According to reliable sources the Clifford Cup final and the clubs
have requested that this match be played alternatively in Kandy and
Colombo.
There seems to be some sort of a constitutional crisis that is
troubling the SLRFU Tournament Committee regarding the Clifford Cup
final. In the first instance, according to the Constitution of the SLRFU,
schedule (III) - delegation of powers, terms of Reference and notes to
the guidance of Sub-Committee shall be as follows: (a) To arrange the
programme as conducted by the Union (II) - knock-out tournament to be
conducted by the Union.
They shall each take into account suggestions as submitted by the
Member Unions for the conduct of the various tournaments and suggest
that the 31st January of the Year be the date where recommendations for
the various tournaments, to be conducted for the ensuing year. (b) Draw
up a fixture card for the various tournaments, trials and matches being
conducted by the Union.
(c) Liaise with Schools Associations and ensure that principal club
matches do not clash with important school matches. These are the
functions of the Tournament Sub-Committee and under the circumstances,
the Clifford Cup final, as in the past will prevail. However, as there
have been various suggestions by member clubs in the recent past who
insist that there should be a change.
Rizwan Omar says that he would like to give their views that would be
useful for the SLRFU Council to take a decision to control, promote,
foster and develop the game throughout Sri Lanka.
1. The Clifford Cup is the only tournament where a final is played
outside Colombo if KSC is in the final.
2. Ever since this tournament has been played in Kandy, schools in
the Kandy district have improved their rugby and more schools and
players have taken to the game, even from adjoining towns like Gampola,
Nawalapitiya, Matale, Dambulla, Nuwara Eliya, Polonnaruwa, Hanguranketha,
Walapane, etc.
3. Kandy Sports Club and the players from Kandy Schools comprise a
good percentage of the National Team, clearly showing that the Kandy
schools are seeing the National Team and even other Colombo clubs. If
the final is played away from Kandy, this is the first step in killing
the game in Kandy, thereby weakening the National Team.
It took 117 years to win their first trophy - Clifford Cup - final
played in Kandy for the first time, and since then Kandy rugby has been
of a high standard. Is this the way to promote the game?
During a year only about 7 to 9 games are played in Kandy, including
the Clifford Cup games, assuming that Kandy is in the final. This year
only 7 games will be played. The Kandy rugby supporters will be starved
and deprived of witnessing good club rugby. In contrast, in Colombo more
than 50 'A' Division club games are played during a year and there as
much 'B' Division games as well.
During the League tournament Kandy SC normally travels down to
Colombo 07 to 08 times whereas a Colombo team has to come up only once.
This is a major disadvantage for Kandy SC, and in spite of this
disadvantage Kandy has been able to win the League 09 times during the
past 12 years.
To have the Clifford Cup final in Colombo will give Colombo teams a
further unfair advantage in spite of all these disadvantages Kandy has
been the only outstation team to play continuously in the League
tournament since its inception.
Thanks to the success of Kandy Sports Club with the backing of their
sponsors, supporters, Kandy was able to organize an International Rugby
Sevens tournament since 1999 to date with IRB Status now. An achievement
the SLRFU should be very proud of in taking away the Clifford Cup Final
from Kandy is it the way of rewarding KSC for all what they have done.
In 1992 when the SLRFU awarded the Clifford Cup to be conducted in
Kandy there was protests from CR & FC and CH & FC and they withdrew from
the tournament. The newspapers reported that the tournament was
conducted with a carnival atmosphere without lights indicating the
disappointment of major clubs pulling out of the tournament.
In 1998 a similar protest was made from leading clubs in Colombo and
Kandy SC threatened to pull out from the league. The then Minister of
Sports S. B. Dissanayake intervened in the matter and made several
suggestions in the best interest of rugby in the presence of a team of
SLRFU officials at the Sports Ministry Complex and later SLRFU opted to
continue with the previous years format.
Kandy appeal to the SLRFU Council to consider all the facts mentioned
and have the same format as in the past for the Clifford Cup final.
Dimbulla - Dickoya are back in 'A' Div Rugby having last played in
1974.
Singer Sri Lanka Limited has come forward to sponsor the game in the
Up-country with great inspirational encouragement from its
Chairman/Managing Director Hemaka Amarasuriya.
Just as he did to the Kandy Sports Club in the late 90's and now the
Kandy Sports Club is the leading domestic league and Clifford Cup
Champions in Sri Lanka over the last several years.
Mr. Amarasuriya is confident that Dim/Dicks will also follow the same
trend of Kandy Sports Club and hopes to support the up-country club to
achieve another milestone in rugby in the near future. |