The schools rugby season which looked to be a non starter at the beginning of 2009 was concluded. Royal who enjoyed a good season made use of the talent they have to win the league championship.
While Royal came out on top S. Thomas’ came second. They lost their first game which was the curtain raiser for the schools league tournament 2009. Royal for whom most times the importance was the Bradby came very strongly this league season and showed what they are capable of. Royal needs to be congratulated and their achievement must be appreciated.
As we look over the shoulder at the season just completed there is no denying of the fact that there has been a very competitive season as similar to previous years. It was only Royal that won all matches while S. Thomas’ went down just once. That was in the curtain raiser to the 2009 league and against Royal the eventual champs.
Trinity College, who to the surprise of many lost their game to St Josephs, in the first outing, came back very strong to end in third place. After they failed in their early games they did well to win six of their matches and be placed third. Last year’s champions Kingswood was impressive up to and around their fifth game and looked as though they might repeat what they achieved last year. They fell off during the second half as they took on tougher opposition and ended in fourth place. Ironically they won the same number of games, five, as did Isipathana who were placed fifth.
St Anthony’s, St Peter’s, Dharmaraja and St Joseph’s all having won three games each took the sixth , seventh , eighth and ninth place. Placing was after taking into consideration bonus points and aggregate scores. Dharmaraja and St Joseph’s were separated by a difference of conversions as they were level on wins as well as tries scored. Thus those that face demotion are St Joseph’s and Mahanama who were promoted to the top league on last year’s performance. They will have to scrape the bottom till they mature to challenge the leaders.
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| Try scoring became a habit for Royal. Pic by Ranjith Perera |
School’s rugby unlike the club tournament had an even contest as seen by the results. If you compare with a few of the previous years the front runners have changed. It is unlike the club scene where two horses ride in front while all others follow virtually in the same order year in year out. It was only Mahanama who lost all their games that fell way behind. If Kingswood who were leading at one stage were a disappointment being champions last year what do you say of St Joseph’s. The biggest disappointment as they stepped into the A division league with a win over Trinity. This was also their first win of their games against Trinity .What happened to them is now history and worth a look for a case study of how not to handle a side that scored what was the biggest morale booster in their first match. It was also interesting to see how Dharmaraja and St Anthony’s who were no where at the half way mark recover and come back strongly to continue to be in the top league for another year.
What interests me in the form of the oft quoted phrase of a song “I don’t know why?”
It is that I don’t know and I have no answer. That is what happens to rugby that is played in this fashion and with passion at school level? Comparatively what has the club season offered in terms of spectator interest and or excitement this season? If one were to look back at the last season as well as a couple of season before there has always been more excitement and following for school rugby than for club rugby.
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What takes me away from any form of hope for the game is why that talent does not grow to feed the higher level of rugby and also contribute to national achievement. It is possibly because of the system that boasts of development but has not grown beyond the number of clubs that existed may be twenty years ago. That too with a huge mismatch as there is no way for a new club to emerge due to lack of funds. That is despite all the money spent to catch them young but have no place to go as they grow older. What we have is a funnel like system that has taken root. The wide mouth and a narrow stem that directs the substance (Players) to the narrow mouthed vessel: the clubs. Probably we should look at the inverted funnel as the sign of madness as symbolized in his painting the ship of fools (painted c. 1490–1500) by Hieronymus Bosch which shows prodigal humans wasting their lives instead of spending it in "useful" ways
Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB |
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