Rugby beyond 2017 — what does it hold
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Sri Lanka approaches another year of rugby with the league coming to an end in six weeks and school rugby expected to take the centre stage. More passion than what would be seen in clubs will be seen on the school rugby grounds.With all the fuss and lucre thrown has not helped the game. What does it hold for rugby 2017 and beyond is a question. When we look at the not so great performance by the Under-19 managing to be placed third. Various answers are placed such as the team hitting a patch of viral flu while accusations are leveled that the team were seen partying late to the night.
These are issues that come by the way but are not answers to why Sri Lanka lost falling hard when we boast of a proud passion for rugby at schools. Why did Sri Lanka give away so many penalties at the break down and more often for the offside around play? This is more a case of technical skills that hamper development. I heard a story that the offside penalties are a result of local referees not penalizing enough. To me it is answer of somebody else is to be blamed but it is not us. If you know where the boundaries are at the breakdown there is no need for the referees to correct by penalising. It is a chicken and egg situation. This is part of the technical skill.
Recent inductee to World Rugby Hall of Fame Brian O’Driscoll (Leister, Ireland and the Lions) had this to say on why I love rugby.
“I love rugby because it’s the ultimate team sport. If my hooker doesn’t throw the ball in straight or my jumper and lifters don’t get the timing right, my scrum-half’s pass isn’t on the money, likewise my out-half, I don’t get service, my tight-head needs to do a proper job in the scrum, my number eight needs to control the ball at the back, so if they don’t do that I don’t have a job to do so for me it’s a team sport”.
While another inductee Jerry Guscott (Bath, England and the Lions) said “I love rugby because I took to it without even thinking about it. It was something that came very naturally to me, I love engaging and socializing with people and rugby naturally has that about it. I grew and grew with the sport and the older I got the more socializing I did and the more fun I had. Fundamentally, the game and its values are the same at junior club level as it is right at the top at international level and it is so much fun”.
Reading the statements of these two great players and finding a fit to rugby in Sri Lanka what have we got? First we have a set who want to make professionals out if schoolboys. It inculcate s a win attitude satisfying some who shout loud for their school while filling the pockets of others who want to stay afloat and hold onto their jobs. So a win is a must buoyed by a pseudo bravado hidden under the cloak of school loyalty. For others it is a case of keeping their jobs with a win that that does not matter of how it was won.
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Where do we find what O’Driscol is talking about. About being an ultimate team sport where the skills of all matter. If this is not done at school there is little that can be done at club and national level. The eventual is that there is so much shouting and money thrown with little contribution for a better game and a better sportsman being released to society .
This is where the comment of Guscott does not find a fit. Is there any move to improve players to engage and socialize?
When you go to a match you see a segregation of supporters. Probably otherwise they will go at each other. Even the jugular vein may not be safe as they may cling on to the throats of each other. The segregation and division in a sport is unthinkable when at one end we are talking of reconciliation and co habitation at a national level. Sports is a wonderful platform to bring people together. The ethos or rugby is a built on camaraderie and fun. Rugby is a wonderful game to keep people together and build a better future and a better citizen.
Hopefully 2017 will see a better lead to better rugby keeping to the word of O’Driscoll. Which is to develop the team game and be helped by the contribution of all. The engaging and socializing as Guscott says.
This column wishes you all a rugby filled year of 2017 with a lot of passion excitement, flowing rugby and less co nflict. Donald Trump is quoted saying “With the proper woman you don’t need Viagra”. Play the game well and skillfully rugby will be a winner.
Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB