Club rugby season is round the corner
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The coin is spun and the call is “heads” or “tails”, and the winner decides whether he kicks off or chooses a side. The smirk from the referee comes when somebody says “we will kick from this side”. He wants the kick and the side. He does not, however, get both. The Club Rugby League will kick off on Nov.9 at Havelock Park under lights.
While we wait for the kickoff, people talk of the politics, as in politics of government, and there are some who ask questions of politics as in Sri Lanka Rugby. The question asked is, “What next for rugby in Sri Lanka?” My naive answer would be, “30 men on the field battling it out and some on the bench waiting to get in. The much cursed referee sweating and whistling, while club officials shout from the sidelines and spectators shout themselves hoarse, hopefully.
That is not what they seek in the answer to the question, “What next for Rugby?” This is because political heavyweights back Rugby in the Clubs as well as in schools. Now your mind starts to tour, despite the travel adversaries. As a matter of fact, Rugby in this country has been played for over 100 years. It has been Club, administration or party as people deem it fit to label .
Rugby is a sport that values spirit as well as respect to each other and should not be bothered about the way the wind blows, unless it is about the wind influencing the direction of the ball. The people who ask about what will be the impact, probably, are those interested in politics, not the game at large. An answer they seek is one that can be used as a satisfying explanation to butter why your team lost.
What should be more important is how competitive the games will be, so that, spectator interest is rekindled. That of course needs people to think that administration is independent. “Why not?” is a question you need to answer yourself to tone your perception?
The season kicks off next weekend with Havelock’s hosting Army under lights on Friday, November 9. Thereafter, it goes on for 7 weeks, with a stop during the season in December, and recommences to go on for another 7 weeks.
SLRFU President Lasitha Gunaratne explained that the League be first played in 2 Rounds. At the end of 14 weeks and 2 Rounds are complete, the top 4 teams will go into the Cup segment and the next 4 to the Plate. That, in the words of Gunaratne, is a full toss to keep Clubs and sponsors happy with more games in 2 Rounds, and then move into a more competitive mode to fight for the Cup and Plate.
It is virtually, a 3rd Round knockout. I asked him why not select the Cup and Plate after Round 1 and play on a League basis, to make the game more competitive. He opined that Clubs want more matches and so do the sponsors, which include the sponsors of Clubs. The way forward probably, is to have your way imbedded in a system that allows more matches for Clubs. The million dollar question is whether there will be more spectators. There is also a possibility of playing mini Rugby before the big game to get more people on the Park. At least there will be some moms and pops, brothers and sisters adding colour. Not a bad thought from Burly Gunaratne. The problem, however, will be, as the season progresses, the possibility that Clubs may say the minions setting foot may damage the Park before the big game. It is like the question of appointing the Prime Minister. Who runs the tournament and who hosts the matches.
Gunaratne said that allowing foreigners for the lower placed 4 in last year’s League, is with a view to improve the competitive nature of matches. However, there was and still is a reluctance to agree by those at the top 4. He also said there are some who are not in favour of the extension of the tournament, to include a playoff for the Cup and Plate. Seems all is set for a debate at the drop of a hat. And debates are aplenty in the framework of the oval ball. It is not about improving the attendance, but it is about who cannot sit on the benches as council members, as said in the Sports Law. So time will be spent on ironing issues and hopefully, the game will see more excitement on the field.
Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, Coach and an Accredited Referees’ Evaluator IRB