The Bench: The last resort that makes the difference
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The bench or replacements are the weapon of today’s Rugby. The 15 ‘starters’ have to prepare the way for the ‘finishers’, as Eddie Jones would call them. They are not replacements, when we see games fought to a win in the last 20 minutes. It is like the bowlers who bowl the last overs in ODI or T20 cricket. It is a weapon that will make a difference. It is true of Rugby too, and we see some doing this well, with England having set the lead. In Sri Lanka, this phenomenon has been understood by some, while others refer to the representative on the bench.
Army SC, the giant killers, continued in their stride and beat Navy SC on their pier. It was the continued desire to fight to the end that helped, with a last minute penalty that sealed the win. Army plays to a pattern that may be foreign to those who believe in comply and complain, as a bird flying over the bench picked up confusion on changes. But it was the changes that earned a penalty and the conversion.
To the credit of Army, they are not penalty givers, compared with the past and also, are better than most others. If you look for winners by the end of the League season you may be disappointed. On the other hand, looking ahead, there is much hope for this side in the long run. This will be good for Clubs and National Rugby.
Kandy SC lost to Army in the previous week, but managed to beat Police SC who were thumping on the line, close to scoring. Kandy were virtually trespassing on the offside line, while Police kept on to the now familiar pick and hit. When you cannot breach the gain line, there should have been a an alternative to the pattern. If they did, it would have been another story in the points table.
It is not only understanding the game, but also changing if the whistle is silent. It’s leadership on the ground that matters. Sadly, this seems lacking, while players look to the masters on the bench. Just as much as you must be aware of the whistle, you need to read play. How many times do you see playing to space and mounting your attack from a point more close to the goal line. That’s the captain who can think and lead that is missed.
It is difficult to understand the ignorance of the off-side law. Each team has an off-side line that runs parallel to the goal line through the hindmost point of any ruck (similar to the case of a maul) participant. This is an area that seems to be blatantly abused by coaches, players as well as referees. It is very difficult to get over the gain line when people stand like moving pillars in front of this line. Deliberate as well as professional, a yellow or red card might get this into perspective.
The talk from Havelock Park was centered more on the punch which was punished with a yellow card. It is reliably understood that on being cited the player has received a 2-match ban. However, the most important thing to note in this match was the way CR&FC played and took Havelocks to the wire. I wondered whether some of the Park Club diehards may have to seek recourse to medical attention, as CR made Havelocks fight all the way.
With a coach of the previous week leaving and a captain not taking the field, one may have thought the Park Club would have had it easy. On the other hand, the Red Shirts’ supporters were happy, despite losing. It was nice to see both teams together at the fellowship after the game. At least some are attempting to bring back the spirit and camaraderie of what Rugby is about.
Kandy, on current form, does not look like the champs they were. Sanath Martis’ men look a real threat to taking the crown off the Hill Capital giants. It was not very long ago that people labeled Martis as a school coach. He is now proving otherwise and showing what he is capable of. That is, he can mould the clay in his hand to produce a fine ornament. Aptly summed by an ardent Havelock’s supporter, player and administrator, “with experience he has matured like good wine”. Reminding me of the quote “Whisky, like a beautiful woman, demands appreciation. You gaze first, then it’s time to drink”.
Kandy wants to keep the the Cup at home, while at Havelocks it would find an ideal home in the refurbished clubhouse. While these two teams battle at the top, the fight for 3rd, 4th and 5th places should intensify.
Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, Coach and an Accredited Referees’ Evaluator IRB