NZ All Blacks Rugby Academy in Sri Lanka
Minister Harin Fernando is confident the upcoming facility could be a regional Rugby hub - Pic Amila Gamage
The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) had agreed to set up an All Blacks Academy here, after a proposal made by the Sri Lankan Government has been successfully taken up by the world’s top rugby-playing nation. This was revealed to the Sunday Times by Harin Fernando, the Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure, who led a delegation from Sri Lanka a few months back to make a presentation to the NZRU on the proposed academy. “We gave the NZRU a proposal, some months ago, to establish an All Blacks Rugby Academy in Sri Lanka, which was the idea of Prime Minister Ranil Wickemesinghe.
On Friday afternoon we received a positive response from them and things will kick-start as soon as we give them our plan on the project,” Minister Fernando told the Sunday Times. Initiating the longstanding programme, NZRU will send two members from their coaching department to conduct a Level II coaching programme for 30 Sri Lankan coaches. The NZRU has inquired of the convenient time-frame to send the two coaches. ”It will happen next month. And to make the All Blacks Academy a reality Sri Lanka will provide all the necessary infrastructure and facilities, which will include ground, training and other areas.”
“They have inquired of our commitment. They are keen to get our proposal on moving forward with the project. New Zealand will be providing all the knowhow in coaching, training and nurturing the players from Sri Lanka, while we will have to provide all that is needed for the project,” he added. The two countries will also spearhead an exchange programme where young players from Sri Lanka would get the opportunity to go to New Zealand and undergo training there. New Zealand will send their players to Sri Lanka to take part in coaching programmes and play matches, which is a good move for the development of Rugby, opines Fernando.
“We took this project to some in the corporate sector and already some have shown a keen interest in investing on this project and as the government our responsibility is to provide other needs, such as a suitable location for a ground and the buildings for other facilities,” he said.
Besides all the benefits targeted on the development of the sport and the younger brood of players, Minister Fernando also stated that the plan is to make the proposed All Blacks Academy an active regional hub right throughout the calendar year. But before the big picture comes to the screen Sri Lanka should respond to NZRU with their proposal as soon as possible.
“I, as the representative who went and made the initial proposal, will have to sit together with the Minister of Sports, Dayasiri Jayasekara and make a comprehensive and workable proposal. We have the basic idea of what is essential for this project. We are also looking at making this facility something that will function right around the year and provide the facilities for the use of other rugby-playing countries across Asia. Also we have a huge plan for the local youngsters by categorising them according to age groups and conduct training programmes throughout the year. The initiation of the project will be made officially in the near future,” Fernando stressed.