Consultation, Compromise and Consensus were terms made very familiar in the political arena at one juncture in our recent political history. None seem to have forgotten these words as much as the rugby nation of Sri Lanka. Absent in the minds of those involved is the concept of Consultation, Compromise and Consensus and what we have at present is Confrontation and Chaos. All this in a year where the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union has reached a milestone of existence for 100 years. Like the tsunami that came out of the blues and will not come that easily it seems that the rugby tsunami has now come and gone .It is a coincidence that the tsunami struck Sri Lanka while all were set to celebrate the rugby tsunami when the time was to celebrate hundred years .

What a way to keep a permanent mark to celebrate two important occasions, 100 years of SLRFU and 125 years of rugby in Sri Lanka. I say this because the degree of uncertainty and confusion is not doing any good and is like the proverbial beggars wound. The wound to the beggar is God sent and will never heal and they don’t want it to heal. I hope there is nobody burning the rugby wound so as to keep themselves in the picture.

Initially Dilroy’s term ended.....

With a season about to begin and three international events due from March to mid April we are meandering along as though the sole objective is to have the union dissolved and have an interim committee in place .

May be if it is to do some good then do it and follow our hopes and aspirations. That is to popularize the game, to give the followers a sport to enjoy and get you recognized while climbing places in Asian Rugby. All these cannot be achieved if we go on the way we are. There is no executive director and the Secretary; Duke Hamid resigned from his post. The constitution of the SLRFU requires the vacant post of Secretary to be filled at a General Meeting. It also states that in the absence of an executive director the secretary attends to the duties of that post. As both are not available what happens next is the question. While all keep wondering the news we receive is that the President Lewke too has resigned.

What next and what else? How does rugby get the direction required with the present impasse? If you have to go by the constitution there has to be a general meeting to fill the post. That will require three weeks notice to be given. The Annual General meeting too is due before the last day in the month of February. This requires four weeks notice that means if the machinery starts now it will be a minimum of seven weeks before the captains take their seat. In the meantime what happens to all that is needed to keep us from not drowning? Tobias Smollet once said “Some folks are wise and some are otherwise”. Rugby in Sri Lanka is following a situation of not being wise but being otherwise.

News is that Rugby Doctor Maiya Gunasekera has been appointed to lend support to strengthen the rugby structure. It is also said that the Annual General Meeting will be held before the 31st of December. What is not clear is the year in which it will be held. Once and for all this may be the time to get personalities involved and start the process of consultation seek compromise and arrive at a consensus for what is good for the game Particularly among them is the need to review the constitution and look at the voting criteria and the pattern of representation .

Then Lewke abdicated

Priority however should be the start of the domestic season and the preparation for the International events. Chief among them is the Asian 5 nations Division one tournament which can put us back in the track. This is something we must and we could win. Provided we plan from now and not wait till the end of March. This requires the selection committee to be in place and a coach to be in place. It is the bigger picture that needs to be looked at and not the pin pricks which irritate and can take your time from the main focus.

The inter club sevens are to be played in February and is an important event in the local calendar and also is a necessary fore runner to our participation in the Hong Kong Sevens. There is also the under 20 international sevens which Sri Lanka will host in March or April 2009. There is also the under twenty international sevens to be played in Sri Lanka. Can rugby afford a situation where there is no one to steer the wheel.

What is now needed is for what is left of the game to be salvaged and be taken forward. This requires leaders and not just men who will succumb to pressure and or spend energy to achieve personal aims and objectives. The need is for people who can think with a broader vision and dream of better rugby for its followers. Then why did we get into this mess? Some will say that it is not necessary to go back into history. If we have to succeed lessons from history may be useful. Two years ago when there was an heir apparent to head the union others had different ideas. You may say it was a democratic right. However when such rights are exercised there will be expectations. When it is not a win - win for both parties there will be a fall out. That is what has led to the situation as of today and the culmination with surgery being needed to arrest a festering wound turning into a cancer. We hope there will be success in the near future.
Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, Coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB