Only a dismal performance can bring the Tuskers down
View(s):It is a very far flung theoretical possibility for Sri Lanka to lose the third place in the Asian Sevens Series. It can happen if they do not to qualify for the cup quarters and then fall below seventh place and Korea are placed third or Philippines does well. It is only a dismal performance that can bring the Tuskers down. Korea, placed third before the Mumbai Sevens, were shocked by Malaysia in the quarter-finals and then lost to Thailand in the Plate semi ending seventh.
The Korean debacle was partly due to the heavy injuries leading to the third leg of the series and indiscipline which lost a
Sri Lanka rugby poolists during a training session - SLRFU
player through a red card. The player barged past the referee knocking him with his shoulder as the official was getting back after awarding a 1st minute a try. The player received a cup with a six months ban for physical abuse of the referee. This probably is the biggest punishment meted out by the Judiciary in the Seven Series in Asia and possibly for all aspects in the Asian Rugby. On the first day a coaching official of Korea was banned from sitting on the bench for the duration of the tournament for a verbal abuse of the referee.
Though Sri Lanka has not had issues of indiscipline the incidents are worth taking note of. The surrounding culture in all forms of the game at present is to keep questioning the match official. If the mistakes are not whistled off locally the players will carry it to international tournaments and the outcome is a severe punishment that can take a team back. Sri Lanka has to take a lesson from Korea for the future and focus on strength and conditioning for survival and build a sevens specific pool where replacements can be drawn when the need arises.
Sri Lanka has won the hearts of rugby crowds in Asia and is well supported at all tournaments. One could say that it is the most popular team on and off the field. It was sad to see the abusive comments on a chat platform while streaming live on Asian 5 nations TV through YouTube. This was more fully dealt with in an article last week by Alvin Sally. We got to remember that this is a sport and has no place for misplaced vituperative racist comments: especially in rugby where respect is a key corner stone in the principles of the game. When you do not understand the eligibility criteria you not only abused the opponents Philippines but kept on dragging many other teams. This will only make the team lose its friends and ground support they need to overcome the giants.
Many were disappointed that thirdranking Sri Lankan will not get a slot in the Sevens World Series in Hong Kong. Last year there were three teams from Asia of which two played in the qualifying tournament. Some say that there was a last minute shift of the goal post. In 2012 the IRB announced the 2011-20 Sevens plan developed in partnership with member unions and approved by the council. The plan had a clear indication of where the sevens will head and how the teams will be selected for future events. The plan identified the HSBC Sevens as the major driver in the profile and the commercial value of the sport. So that the best teams play a transparent qualification structure was implemented from the 2012/13 season onwards. This included: Each HSBC SWS tournament to be a 16-team format and where 15 core teams will be in the Series each year. There will be one wild card spot for each tournament and will be determined by the IRB. The 15 Core teams for 2013-14 were Fiji, Argentina, France, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Kenya, USA, South Africa, Samoa, England, Scotland, Wales, New Zealand and Australia. Asia is the only continent not represented in the core group.
The October 2013 announcement by the IRB was a promotion and relegation structure from this season. IRB announced a system of ‘one up, one down’ in place for the HSBC Sevens World Series. The sixteenth place for 2104/15 will be in two stages decided by a promotion tournament involving 12 qualifiers, during the Hong Kong Sevens in March 2014 and relegation after the end of the sevens circuit. The IRB announced that the top two teams in the HSBC Asian Sevens Series this year will compete in the core team qualifying event in March 2014 for the 2014-15 ‘HSBC Sevens World Series’. The wildest hope for Sri Lanka is if the winner of the Asian Sevens gets the wild card for the Hong Kong Sevens and Sri Lanka will be in Hong Kong for the qualifier. The wild card so far in 2013-14 was Samoa for Gold Coast and Russia for Dubai.
Previously the final qualifying stage, the World Series Core Team Qualifier, was held as part of the London Sevens. The qualifying teams were joined by the winner of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series, plus the bottom three core teams following the Scotland Sevens. The two finalists and the winner of the third-place Canada Portugal and Spain joined the 12 core teams for the following season.
The IRB announced significant changes to the core team promotion/relegation process, on October 9, 2013. The number of promotion/relegation places will be reduced from three to one.
The Pre-qualifier will be folded into the Core Team Qualifier, which will involve 12 teams determined in regional qualifying and will be contested entirely at the Hong Kong Sevens. The champion of the Qualifier will receive core team status for the following season series.
Relegation will be determined at the end of the London Sevens. The bottom-placed core team will be automatically relegated, with no opportunity to retain core status.
Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB
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