Ed ministry takes rugby to Jaffna
View(s):Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education will conduct a training programme on rugby refereeing under its Rugby Navodya Programme at the Jaffna Central College on Tuesday and Wednesday.
So far, according to K.S.P. Karunaratne, the programme coordinator, 40 participants have registered for the two-day course, with 15 of them being players, who have represented the University of Jaffna. Around 10 Physical Training Instructors from the Ministry of Education in Jaffna and several players from Sri Lanka Army too have registered for the training programme.
“We will conduct a tournament for the Under-14s and Under-16s on the second day of the programme in connection with the training course. This will be after the scheduled training programme on the first day, to evaluate the progress of the participants,” Karunaratne said.
The rugby referees training session will be conducted by Anil Jayasinghe and Kamal Jayawardena, two members of Sri Lanka Rugby Referees’ Society (SLRRS) while several other top referees will also assist the trainers.
In addition the rugby officials who will visit Jaffna for the two-day training programme will distribute rugby balls and playing kits among the Jaffna schools with the intention of popularising the game in the region.
Rugby balls are a donation made by Isipathana College Colombo while Wesley College Rugby Committee member Imthisham Mohideen has come forward sponsor the jerseys. The Rugby Navodya Development programme is conducted under the blessing of the International Rugby Board and it hopes to reach the Eastern province of the country with similar intensions.
“It’s a massive operation and the responses we have received even prior to the beginning of the programme is overwhelming. This is a result of a massive collaboration of the SLRFU, Ministry of Education, SLRRS, Sri Lanka Army and donors who come forward to assist us in numerous ways.
We are looking forward for more help from potential donors who are willing to support this programme,” Karunaratne added. – NA