Lankans looking to do good in Philippines
View(s):The first round of the Schools Rugby League has reached its last week and the match that draws interest is the one between Trinity and Royal. This match will be a battle of prestige for more reasons than one. This will decide the number one and two slots in Group B of segment 1. This is also the first leg of the Bradby shield which is an important event in the history if these schools. The school league so far has provided little entertainment. This game however will draw crowds to Kandy.
During the past few weeks some games have been exciting due to close calls. Yet I may not say that rugby has been entertaining. The number of injuries despite the breaks should be a source of worry. Ball handling, play at the break down and place kicking has seen bad times. The scrum however have been more steady than in the past while the release of the tackled player has improved. Red and yellow cards have been minimal and the on field discipline has been better. It will be interesting to see who will win the fair play award. There will be a couple of the action in the playing enclosure.
The results of the games this week will be known as this column is read and who wins the top slot and the first leg will be known. What will be more important to the supporters of both teams will be the result of the first leg than the league. We should be able to talk more about the game next week.School rugby will reach more excitement as teams for Group ‘A’ such as Isipthana and St. Joesph’s meet Trinity and Royal. Two other teams to watch in the second round will be Science and improved St. Peter’s College.
The disappointment so far has been Wesley, Dharmaraja, and the hyped S. Thomas’ College. This week the game for them against St. Anthony’s Kandy is important as it will decide on who goes to the pool from this group. In Segment II Prince of Wales, Ananda, D.S Senanayake and Zahira seemed to be the teams that will be in the Plate. They will be joined by the last four teams of Segment 1 which probably will read as CWW Kannangara, Wesley, Dharmaraja and S. Thomas’ or St. Anthony’s Kandy. Having watched some of the Segment II game it does not look like any of these teams is a quality to lock horns with the Segment 1 teams next year.
If promoted they will be in the same seat as Kannangara this year. That is a question that needs careful study as beyond the traditional schools at the top there is little on offer at the bottom. This is similar to the scenario of club rugby which does not go beyond the top teams that have been there for years. This is important when we have to think of the input to the national team and talking of having spread the game. For some the frills that are addendum to the game are what they see as development.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka has beaten Kazakhstan comfortably by 35 points to 14 in Division 1 of the Asian Rugby Football Union tournament. With this win they were slotted to meet Philippines in the final played yesterday. This match will determine which of the countries will head the group outside the tier one teams that are Japan, Hong Kong and Korea. While Sri Lanka had a convincing win Philippines had to go all the way to beat Singapore. The score at full time was 17-all and the game went to extra time. The first ten minutes drew no score and it was in the second ten minutes that Philippines scored and clinched a place in the final. The huge home support was beneficial to Philippines during extra time and it will be interesting final where ground support will not favour Sri Lanka. Nevertheless the hope is that Lankans with a number of fresher’s will come home winners.
Other news is that the Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union will be held on the May 14. So what about it somebody may ask? Wait and see is another comment. See what! All depends on what you want to see or hear. Russell Baptist who was quoted in the article last week has corrected me that he played for CH and Air Force and not Havelock’s and Air Force. The error is regretted and corrected.
* Vimal Perera is a former player, coach, referee and an IRB Accredited Referees’ Educator