Rugby is up and running with Fijians in the basket
View(s):
Whatever said and done, the real battle is among the local players - File pic by Amila Gamage
The First Olympic medal for Fiji was when they claimed gold at the Rio Olympics – in Rugby Sevens. This inspired glory for Fiji despite having dominated World Rugby Sevens. Lanka thinks they could borrow a Fijian leaf. Sri Lanka Rugby introduced a system where the four teams placed at the bottom of the last year’s league were allowed to play a foreigner. Ostensibly this was to uplift the competition. So you go fishing to Fiji. Fijians have set foot and played rugby in Sri Lanka and did also tie the knot with Sri Lankan maids. If their offspring play rugby possibly they could play for Sri Lanka on the basis that a parent is from Sri Lanka.
CH who introduced Fijians to local rugby objected to the introduction of foreigners only for the four teams. They sought the intervention of the District Courts on Friday the day the Tournament was to commence according to the President of the SLR Lasitha Gunaratne. Gunaratne said that the interim relief of not allowing foreigners was denied at the DC and another application has been filed in the Appeal Courts which was taken up last week and was taken up again on 19th and the decision was delivered on the 23rd giving interim relief . The argument of SLR was that out of the stakeholders and clubs: only one team had objected at council meetings in the house of rugby. The suspense in rugby is hardly noticed as there is more to talk about as tension in the house that legislates.
Of the four foreigners seen on the field only Emosi Vunivosa – Police looked convincing. While the Fijian Boila Sosiveta who played center, for Army in the second week and he looked good.
Fans seem happy because the difference of the scores in eight l matches was little. People think that the season will be a close fight. In a nation that measures happiness by the short term vision that seems good. The scores are close among equally contesting teams but rugby seems the same. Matches have been won on penalties. The average tries per match is 5.5 while there are 4.5 penalties converted per match. The number of scrums in a math is around 15 (high of 30 in two matches) while the penalties average around 26 of which 15 are at the tackle ruck and maul.
There were 24 yellow cards in eight matches and increase from five in the first week to 19 in the second week. The Navy-CR match had six while the Army-Air Force had seven.
The reasons include dangerous play, repeated infringement at the tackle and offences around the ruck and maul. One reason I believe is the continuous non correction from junior days which escalates at senior rugby. The coaches on the other hand blame the referees for blowing too early or of being technical. But then can you blame them as the complaints include those that are not booked for not being material and or it is not in conflict of the game to advance. The referee becomes conscientious.
I believe a glove has to fit into all fingers. That the application of law must be a function of coaches players and referees. It is something that can be taken as mutually exclusive but dots in a circle that is dependent on each other. There are times the interpretation of right to the ball and or release can be sharpened. On the hand fringing that denies space, tackling above the shoulder, and collapsing has been ignored and would actually result in more penalties and or yellow. The case of grabbing a player at a line out all more popularly called “sacking’ looks much dangerous and is the responsibility of both coaches and referees. The clarification dates back to 3 of 2003.In all aspects it is more about game management and communication among the coaches’ players and referee.
In my view there should have been more penalties as well at least one red that was missed by all. The next step is for both camps, the coaches and referees to manage the game.
There is the buzz word that if you do no contest a line out there is no crooked throws. What the Law says is that it must throw along the line of touch. The intention is for a fair contest in the air or thereafter. If we accept that there is no contest so there is no not straight, can you throw to the hands of the receiver.
A mix up in annexing resulted in me forwarding a previous published s article and hence a brief of week 1
Police lost by 23 points to 24 as Navy converted a penalty on the last whistle; a decision that has been the centre of discussion and review.
At Havelock Park the lights that did not look too good closer to the touch line as Havelock’s beat Army by 23 points to 12 with the lead being extended in the last minutes of contested time. The ground was somewhat damp and soft but did not pose a hindrance to better rugby. Havelock’s looked a little bit in control but yet not enough to blow holes and claim a greater victory. This match saw a high number of penalties being given and mostly by the Army.
On Saturday the 10th Hosts CR beat CH by 24 points to 23. CR who was placed fifth last year was allowed one foreigner. A 50 meter penalty with few minutes left was what tilted the game in favor of CR. There were more kickable penalties during the game that CR opted not to take.
League winners 2018 Kandy beat Air Force. Kandy was stretched before winning by 28 points to 19 and looked out of sorts and was not as fluent as they should with many experienced players in the side. This game was stopped for a considerable time as there was no required safety equipment after one ambulance had left with an injured player. The match doctor was not prepared to allow the game to be played without the minimum requirements.
2nd Week of Rugby
The last minute plague hit CH once again; losing to Havelock’s by 29 points to 30. This week it was a converted try that sealed the game as against the penalty of the previous game. Samuel Maduwantha of CH proved his worth kicking 4 penalties, dropping n a goal and adding four points on conversion.
Maduwantha is an asset in the CH side and has to be used with the team of skilled players to top up the points and they will get an unassailable lead. Maduwantha is also a good number 10 who found no place in the junior national squad only two years ago. Anuradha Herath was another player in the back division who joined the forwards and performed when the need arose. This probably is an experience of his school days where he played as a back as well as a third row. That is the types of players the national squad needs. Another was Fajudeen who excelled from the famous rolling maul days during school rugby. It was always not a rolling maul as people describe but mauls that went forward and Faju the number two who got into a position to get yards and go over the try line.
CH lost to Martis and his forward play in the last ten minutes and a try on the last whistle. The Game was more enjoyable than the games of last week. CH who composes of a good team lost two games as players with hands on hips told another story. Havelock’s considered a depleted side has shown resilience despite losing a number of their players. Sweet revenge possibly as a number of their players turned up at the Park with the CH team.
CR beat Navy by 28 to 22 thanks to the boot of Tharindu Ratwatte. There was a score of penalties and six yellow cards in this match Kandy Sports Club had a close call beating Police in home turf before winning by 32 points to 23. They were lucky not to be binned for collapsing particularly at the opposition throw in line outs. This was a bother to Police.
Air Force lost to Army in a close contest by 21 points to 29 while 7 yellow cards were issued. End of week two sees Kandy Havelock’s and CR remaining unbeaten.
Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee,
Coach and a former Accredited Referee’s Evaluator for IRB