Club rugby flows with Havelocks and Navy remaining unbeaten as schools adopt new structure for 2014
View(s):Whilst the club rugby season is gathering momentum, last week the Dialog Division ‘A’ competition saw the two unbeaten teams, Havelock’s and Navy maintaining their records. CR&FC, a side that started sloppily, seem to have dusted the feathers and upset Army who had lost only one match up to week five. The Soldiers may have pulled this game off if not for the wayward place-kicker who missed at least three within shooting range.
The 2014 Schools season will be a tough one for all sides as well as defending champs Dharmaraja. - File pic
Havelock’s should consider themselves lucky in pulling off their game against the Police. Having been at the receiving end of five yellow cards, they played with fourteen for most parts of the game. This was not capitalised upon by the Police who in addition had a fair share of penalties coming their way while Havelocks dropped the ball at critical times.
Air Force which comprises only of local players held Upcountry Lions before losing the game 28 points to 36. Air Force, a talented side struggling to claim their first win, will continue to be a tad disappointed and happy that they have fought bravely as a team against opponents that boasts of a number of international stars. Navy beat CH&FC by 85 points to 10 while the Maitland Crescent club continued to drown in the litany of sorrow.
Kandy SC had the opportunity of bashing minnows Hambanthota Sharks and they did it by 48 points to 6. This was a consolation win for Kandy who lost last week at their own backyard but was the score big enough for a side that still has few battles on their hands. CH lay at the bottom of the table with Air Force being one place above and Sharks is at eight. It looks like, Upcountry Lions, Army, CR and Police will be fighting for three places to make the final six.
While the club season is in progress and there is much money pumped the games of five weeks has not produced much entertainment to draw spectators to the ground. In Kandy, as in the past the crowds are always to capacity. In this scenario the clubs must ask whether they are pricing themselves above the reach of the fans.
Meanwhile the schools rugby section is gearing for the next season with a changed format which was approved at the Special General Meeting held on December 15. The proposal of playing in two groups of six teams each has been accepted unanimously according sources of the schools section. The Secretary of the schools section was not available for verification as he was out of the Island. As proposed they will play each other in the group and the first four teams will go into a Champions League. The remaining four will vie for the ‘B’ division league title.
Group 1 will comprise of Dharmaraja College, St. Peter’s College, Science College, St. Anthony’s College Kandy, Kingswood College Kandy, and S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia while Group 2 will include Trinity College, Wesley College, Royal College, Isipathana Vidyalaya, St. Joseph’s College and DS Senananyake MV.
It is however understood that one school that have not been included in the two groups is taking the position that they have not accepted the six-in-a-group method and they prefer the sixteen teams divided into four groups. In addition CWW Kannangara MV has challenged on the basis that the players of DS Senanayake were suspended for using banned substances but the school has not been punished. They have already filed legal action according to informed sources in the schools section.
A way out suggested is to make it seven teams in a group with four of each team proceeding to the proposed champions league. This would mean that they will play ten matches as opposed to the nine originally proposed. There are always proposals, disposals and challenges when it comes to the schools rugby tournament.
Ultimately there will be a solution that may be accepted as an opinionated alternative though it may not always be the best solution. The healthy question that needs to be asked is whether they are servicing the interest of the school rugby player or the interest of the old boys who feel they are downgraded. When these schools get into a league with the better known rugby schools they may get bashed about as has happened in the past. Already we have seen some schools in the top league doing a bi-annual climb up and walk down one year later having recorded cricket scores against their name. The important thing is not being among the top schools but getting their acts together on the basis that they are worthy equals.
In a move to promote more rugby among the school children the schools section has been educating school masters and physical training instructors in the fundamentals of rugby. The schools section has gone a step further and organised a course in refereeing for school masters which has been planned for December 28 and 29 in Pallekele. In most rugby playing countries there are many teachers who are rugby referees and it is a good step to feel and practice the laws of the game.
-Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB