What to expect when the whistleblower is ignored
View(s):The Sri Lanka Youth team came into the Cup final in the first leg and played against Hong Kong slipped a number of places as they dropped to play in the Plate in the second round in the Asian Under-20 7s Championship. From being second they dropped to fifth but won the Plate title beating Thailand in the final.
At international level Sri Lankan rugby players often get penalised for overlooking the referee -- a common practice at domestic level - File pic
As we saw in the first leg the potential is there but the ability to sustain seems missing. We lost badly to teams that we beat convincingly in the first leg. In the quarter-final on day two we dropped against Chinese Taipei after leading as two players were sent to the bin having not retreated 10 metres off penalty and no release at the tackle. The tendency to put the hands up and stay where you are is a bane that plagues Sri Lanka.
In Sevens especially this does not work. We are getting better in scrum and at the tackle but still the not release is not practiced always as the tendency is for coaches to think that time has to be given time. This when practiced at international games earns a card. More often benches are responsible for the conscientious blowing where you whistle for minor infringements and forget those that do not make availability of quick ball.
The tackle, good scrum, giving space at breakdowns and reducing foul play will always make way for quick ball. While there is some consensus in these areas during the schools season there are many occasions that we see shouts for smaller issues that arise. The bigger picture is what is important and not issues that are in the law books but are secondary to a referee who otherwise will have to increase penalties and slow down the game.
Starting from junior rugby where skills are important the sound that is made about minor issues direct players to not concentrate on major issues requiring quick ball. This results in less discipline by the players and the game suffers. The game slows and referees blow for minor issues as there is more fuss and little is spoken of the good things that is done by making quick ball available and making the game safe.
To put your hands up and stay where you are something of the past whereas you have to retreat and in Sevens rugby attracts a penalty. This practice of putting your hand up and waiting is present in the domestic tournaments and if and when referees blow there is instant shouting form the benches as though referees have done a heinous crime. It is this practice that is then taken to the national level which does not evoke any sympathy in the international arena.
I was reminded by a coach that Sri Lanka Junior National XV team has to take part in the Junior ASIAD around November. His question was that we don’t seem to have started preparations for this by having a pool picked and kept together. The season is over and there is a gap for the next international tournament. When we wait the boys will lose the momentum as well as interest and suddenly when asked to pool for representing the junior national team they have to come out of the shell. The coaches also said that players have been trained by different coaches and follow a different culture. Bringing them under a new coach requires them to adapt to what is now required. The boys need time and the coach will first have to battle these before he gets to training them for a game. The challenge is to manage the disparate attitudes so that all pull in one direction that the coach draws.
Sound argument to start with. The question at this time is that there is Union in place and we have only a competent authority that may or may not have a rugby background and or knowledge of what the game is about. Who then will advise him unlike in cricket where there is a committee? There is a need for the union to be in place or a committee to sit till the administration issues is solved. After all when we are still haggling over the appointment of a cabinet 10 days after election rugby is just a speck of the problems to be solved.
When we live in a world when a politician defines the in vogue word ‘megapolis’ as a big police station they may not know why the rugby ball is oval and why a game played with an odd shaped ball should be promoted. That is not just a problem with politician but also a problem arising from the hangers on who could say that rugby can be played with a round ball: if it serves their purpose. Hopefully when things get started it should be about the game and not about the individual piggy backing.
* Vimal Perera is a former player, coach, referee and an IRB Accredited Referees’ Educator