The curtains for the schools rugby season was drawn with success as some think while others may say that it has had its bad days. The reflection of the contribution to the game in terms of numbers in attendance is very much encouraging. Supporters mostly consisting of stakeholders related to schools believe that their school [...]

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Rugby violence – please tell us who is responsible

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The curtains for the schools rugby season was drawn with success as some think while others may say that it has had its bad days. The reflection of the contribution to the game in terms of numbers in attendance is very much encouraging. Supporters mostly consisting of stakeholders related to schools believe that their school has done well. This is natural when one looks through blinkered vision. Reported elsewhere I noticed a comment made by the Secretary of the Schools section that most problems arise from a situation that “nobody wants to accept defeat”.

Particularly since there were was irritation after the schools knockouts. After the Cup final there was talk that the referee of the day had to face a barrage of abuse as well as attempts to invade the referees’ room. The referee in question is alleged to have lodged a complaint to the Cinnamon Gardens police. Official sources from the schools section confirmed that an incident did take place and two securities personal could not control the mob as one individual forced his way pushing the door ajar.

The sources also confirmed that the referees’ society had written to the schools section who thereafter assured the referees that they would take all possible steps to prevent any incident at the second and third tier finals to be played at the Air Force Grounds in Ratmalana. Despite the security and the support of the Air Force, violence erupted among spectators in the first final for the Premier Trophy. The sources say that a meeting is scheduled for next week to look into the issues including the fiasco at the Cup final played between Isipathana and Trinity which the former won.

In a strange twist of events referee D. Nimal has made a statement to a popular Sports Blog Site that nothing happened. The question that now hounds the minds of rugby enthusiasts is “why this sudden turn around”. The question asked is whether there has been coercion of any sort that would have caused this sudden retraction. The belief of people is that if that is the case, it does not spell well for the game. On the other hand is the referee the trying to preserve his pride and maintain that nothing happened? A school master in anonymity believes that it is possible and mentioned a similar incident in a schools match played in Kandy during the league season.
Nobody wants to accept defeat was emphasized by a parent who commented that most problems arise with coaches who have to prove their contribution. They at most times blame the referees and make the children believe that they lost because of a bad decision or that there was more time played when all that the referee was playing was till the next break down to signal match over. The parents felt very much as the wrong message was being sent to the juniors at which level their children play. They also believed that this was not all that was happening in the game at the junior level. There was absolute disregard to ethics in other areas where favours decided on a child getting a slot. Wine, women and song was on offer as this she said.

Rugby violence is becoming commonplace

Returning to the success of rugby at schools games, is a picture that is a sham in one’s minds very much subjective depending from which school? If you benchmark performance you have to compare with our close equals in Asian Rugby. Sri Lanka is in Division One for another year and probably is ranked sixth. What happens to the flare and fancy that we talk of as improvement when it comes to playing equals among Asians? On the other hand if success is measured in terms of the tournaments completed and the mileage for the sponsor, then success as we see is relevant. If success is the numbers that come for a match and the huge budgets schools spend there is a big improvement.

If that budget and crowds mean that you have to invade a field, assault your opponents, and question the legality of decisions to stay on top, there is something that is taking the game down. In addition, to the ugly post match incidents in the final, there were issues in the Premier and Chairman’s trophy matches. Monkeys too like to follow the Lions.

The first match ends with a skirmish as spectators as well as players go for each other’s neck that the next game cannot start. The weapons used were small instruments that are used in street fights. This leads to believe that it was a well planned affair. Following the battle the next final for the Premier Trophy was delayed and went into bad light. The referee called off the game with time remaining as he has the power to do so when he thinks it is dangerous to play. The decision thereafter is for the match organizers/tournament committee. The tournament rules are clear on the course of action. There were protests against the referee stopping the game and that the match was awarded by the referee. The referee has at all times to decide on safety and can stop a match. The decision thereafter is a matter for the match organizers.

Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB




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