Thinking out of the rugby box
View(s):‘Papare’ hyped an event for rugby among the Colombo and Outstation schools and called it Colombo Blues vs. Kandy Reds. The promotion created a product among passionate supporters of a schools season that was just finished.
I called them passionate as when you see them at a match raving and ranting you get the impression that they breathe rugby played by their school. To the marketer here was a product that will give them mileage. The crowd did not disappoint and was comparable to that of good school match. Suddenly the spectator finds the glamour of the game moved out with some of the heroes being taken off the field. This I was made to understand was a result of shifting the interest of the spectator to satisfying the need of the selectors. The
Papare created a product and marketed it to give the spectator another opportunity. Opportunities to scream and shout as spectators make the drama and bring the game alive. The fashion the faces and the screams make it a day which otherwise will bore you to death if the game is played for another purpose. Rugby will dive to bore like a meandering 5-day cricket (at least as far as I am concerned) — sans excitement. You lost the plot and virtually have killed a selling opportunity of a product that has been created. The picture painted was 27 for Blues against 24 for Reds but the match did little to think of moving towards excellence. The 50 players on the pitch were the best of a possible 250 that played in the top league. The chances of making this a winning side in the Asiad looks a daunting task as the mistakes were many. I saw a very weak front row among the best 50 that was picked. Scrums are at the core of rugby and when this is not skillful the game is devalued. The laws have been changed to ensure a steady scrum but the wobbly engagement and unsteady nature continues. According to Moore’s article on BBC Sport Today only 37% of scrums resulted with play being restarted in 2013 6 Nations. The scrum call has since seen more changes where you cannot take a hit but need to bind before set is called. Yet the scrum as I saw during the season and in this match showed that it is never steady and if everyone is to be reset and or whistled we may have more than 50% where play is not restarted. The rules on replacements were changed to ensure that scrums are contested at all times. That is horrifying when you think with 2014 laws there is a need to carry 6 front row specialist who have to be named if you declare a team of 23. Looking at the way the best 3 play upfront what can you expect from your replacements in the future. No front row can be made over night and it may take over five years to make that good.
Who is to be blamed for the short supply front row forwards? The fingers may be pointed at the referees who have let unsteady scrums continue or have not blown for the incorrect front row binding. Because that is the way things happen in Sri Lanka. More specifically I would say that is the answer you would get as heard “how can we take this game to the next level with the way referees officiate”. Ask any motorist the reason for an accident he is involved and the answer most time is because of some other person’s fault.
Why is rugby played at a junior level? To build the skills so that you are trained to compete. I wonder whether people have understood this as they kept on shouting for the wrong reason at the recent ‘Under-16’ finals. Players do not stay on their feet and or don’t scrum down properly and the whistle goes you call the referee a Mongol? Or a quick tap is taken and the ball is worked right and moves forward but in the far corner of left a player is in front and you ask the referee whether he was blind. The question is one of law and a game. If not play will stop every minute or so. The understanding of Mongol too is a question as it could refer to a Mongolic or slang as in referring to a person suffering from Down’s syndrome. But I seriously wonder who is suffering?
We are happy in the way rugby is played in the schools and convince ourselves because we play amonge quals. The test is our position in Asia for schools as well as national XV a side game. In the sevens we are there as number 3 in Asia. Our position in the commonwealth games is in the shield. A cause to be happy as we bring a piece of metal but in reality it is a benchmark that we have a long walk ahead.
Still will have crowds to watch rugby and especially where the schools are concerned. There has been an increase in numbers in club games too. There will be a lot of money spent as the excitement is there and there are sponsors seeking mileage.
We are happy with the status quo as fans create the drama and shout at the players, referees and all concerned; they enjoy it. That was what Papare did: market a product that was salable. See the pictures on social media and you will be convinced about the numbers and the silks that made the difference to what otherwise would have been another figure and a shape. If you kill their game the efforts are in vain. The sponsors will be miles away looking for mileage elsewhere. Perhaps the coaches would know better as to why the elements that provided the pungency were taken off. May be they did not realize that it is their bread and butter that s being challenged.
Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB