Wandering in the dark appears to plague the club rugby season this year. While the tournament organizers are taking action to tackle the fading light the schools section is gearing itself to illuminate the game with brighter lights in 2014.

In the first week of clubs rugby the generator failed and the match to be played under lights was called off. In the second week the Navy match against Police was stopped in the 39th minute of the first half due to bad light. This match was continued from this point onwards the next day. The issue of fading light has propped up in almost all matches though only one was stopped. I believe the organizers who changed the calendar for betterment of the game did not take into account the early setting of night during this time of the year. This has now been addressed and matches are to start at 1600 hours from this week. It appears that the tournament organizers are getting the change of calendar bull by the horn. Perhaps it may have to be started a bit more early as in December night fall can be much earlier.

It is good that Havelock’s have not abandoned their pursuit to play rugby under lights and this week they took on Air Force on the park. These are teething problems of the change of calendar and corrections have to be made to get on with the game. The fact that this time of the year night falls early is not a mystery to be solved by Sherlock Holmes. As is usual the criticism is leveled at the organizers. This may not be the most appropriate as all the top rugby playing clubs are represented in the council in terms of the present constitution. Therefore unlike previously you cannot point fingers at others and you need to look at yourself too. When you point a finger probably at the tournament committee you got to remember the other fingers point back to you.

The starting of the stopped match is a concern on the long run. A rugby stalwart said that unlike in cricket where a restart is possible rugby is a different game. Rugby is a physical game and emotion is involved. A restart is on a different mindset that starts on a new clock both emotionally and physically. In rugby the crowd support is important and it is obvious a losing team will not find its supporters on day two and that the effect the team.

In the recent past we thought in terms of CR and Kandy being the front runners in the league and Havelock’s and CH and FC chipping in to make the game more interesting. In recent years Navy entered as a serious contender and it became a three cornered fight. Havelock’s re-emerged last year and led the pack in the front along with Kandy and Navy. This year too there does not seem to be much difference at the head but the Army and the Up Country Lions are capable of adding a few sparks. A good question is what about the Havelock’s and Sharks match. The outcome whether it is a replay or sharing of points has a direct effect on the points table for the park club.

In the meantime the Schools Rugby Association met this week to finalise the tournament format for next year. They have decided to present on the December 3 to the committee the proposal to swim ahead with the proposed 16 teams in four groups. This will be followed by the proposal being presented to an SGM on December 7 and sail ahead. The schools will kick off with an under 20 Sevens to be played in the third week of January and the Division 2 played the following week. The under 18 Sevens will be played in the second week of February. The first round league matches of the league is expected to be played and finished before the New Year holidays in April.

According to Susantha Mendis, the Secretary of the Schools Rugby Football Association they will present to the membership a number of progressive steps to develop rugby in the schools. These will include the under 18 and 16 matches being played as a 15-a-side games as against the 10-a-side played at present. These are done in a move to gradually introduce the schools boys to the requirements of the national level while also giving the opportunity for more boys to take part. It is also hoped to play the under 14 matches on a full pitch beginning 2014. The schools rugby will see many changes and decisions taken to take the game forward. Mendis said that the committee believes that the present proposal will at least reduce the stress and tension to will at all cost to some extent. It is speculated the Present President of Schools Rugby Ranjith Chandrasekera will step down at the end of this year satisfied that he has placed schools rugby in the correct path.
Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB