Police performance rekindled hope in their supporters
View(s):Suddenly it turns out that the Police SC have a chance of winning the Dialog Knockout Championship. They meet Kandy SC in the final and the result would be known as you read this column. Police down in sixth place in the league became a strong title contender. In the quarter-final they beat Havelock’s SC and then beat the Air Force SC in the semi-final.
They looked a good force in the first half of the quarters but changed gears into sleep mode in the second half and made difficult of a match they could have won easily. In the semi-final too they did get into a half sleep gear when they had a lead. A winning lead! It appeared that the Police performance had rekindled hope in their supporters who had come in numbers. Let us hope this is a beginning of a new run for Police rugby: especially when some clubs are closing down.
In the other semi-final was Kandy SC who drew a bye in the quarters. They huffed beyond expectations in the first half of the semi but still ended winners to take a place in the final. CR&FC who meandered on in their first game against Army SC showed more courage in the first half against Kandy before folding down. Air Force too did well to beat league runners up Navy SC in the quarter-final. Last placed in the league Airman did well in the knockout.
I write with a blend of experience and rationalisation and not one built on imagination. Yet I dream of a country where sport will be a sport and rugby will be the game the governors want it to be. In the midst of sports you find the leeches and vultures that devour on those who display a talent to play a game. Sport is to be a pleasure and an event for leisure; what is happening around does not in any way contribute to exclaim “what a lovely game!”
A major brawl after a cricket big match played in Colombo screamed the papers and the broadcast media. Many were injured and hospitalised. In Ambalangoda the umpires had to run for safety after the match was over. Is sport meant to be an event of violent behaviour? In a rugby match recently there was a game that was close and everybody played in a calm and dignified manner. A few minutes before the end of the game an official did not seem to like the decisions of the referee and started to make comments after entering the playing enclosure. This was not an area that he was entitled to be. As this senior official started to make comments others too seem to take stick almost signifying that they must support their boss. In another schools match there was uproar among two factions of supporters. Why I am highlighting these incidents is because the enjoyment of sport seems lost and the trend has to be arrested whatever the sport. Probably when we live in an era of being used to leaders saying anything about anybody and then can turn back and pay obeisance to the people you insulted — anything is possible. That is the culture; but sport should not down that dingy stinking drain. Ask the question whether I am right: as you could do a lot to effect change through sport.
Last week we saw the end of the league rugby and the beginning of the knockout. It was also the beginning of the schools season. True to expectations the crowds at schools matches were much more than at the knockouts. The first match was a disappointment both in terms of crowds as well as rugby. CR won this quarter-final against the Army.
The next day Police shocked Havelock’s leading by 26 points to 6 at halftime. It ended in favour of Police by 33 points to 20. The fear with the Police supporters was because Havelock’s cut the lead to 26 to 20 and only a collection against the run of play that made Police the winner by a margin of 13 points. In the first half Police took the game to the Park club and kicked to space and scored from there. The Park club however opted to run the ball and did well at times but did not do well enough to score. In the second half Havelock’s attacked and scored while Police seemed to have taken a step back thinking that the lead was good enough for them to relax. Havelock’s then cut the lead to a mere 6 points with 5 minutes of play left. This was the stage that officials decided to have their voice heard taking on the referee while for most of the second half the players failed to attack and were contended defending.
In schools matches it was a an end to a 16-year wait as St. Joseph’s beat St. Peter’s for the Basil Wiratunge Shield. One thing that was seen in this match was that you cannot pin hopes on one player and win matches. Joes fed this player through kicks and he always covered a good ground. Once off the field and the game plan of Joes looked different and it was a victory.
Science got the better of S. Thomas’ who were reluctant to take kicks at goal leaving them on the losing side. Science however will have to curb their tendency to fall over at the break down if they are to make a lasting impression of this win. The Mount team played well though losing and will be a challenge to others during the season. Royal, Isipathana and Kingswood had easy wins and will be seen in action in the coming weeks which will tell their real strength. Trinity were stretched by Dharmaraja in the first half but kept their focus and won easily.
* Vimal Perera is a former rugby player, coach, referee and an IRB
Accredited Referees’ Educator