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Rugby into the next phase
By Vimal Perera
The Seventh of the Singer Sri Lankan Airline Sevens was concluded in Kandy. The tournament, this year, gained recognition as an IRB satellite sevens for the Asian Region. Japan who won the tournament last year, too, was winner of the Cup this year. St Anthony’s having got the better of Kingwood College in the Semi Final emerged winner in the schools competition. The first leg of the Bradby was played on Saturday and as expected Trinity romped home easy winners. Sunday the second day of the tournament saw vast crowds throng to the Nittawela stadium despite the rainy conditions. A damper for the tournament to reach greater standards was the weather and the resultant soggy ground conditions. Nevertheless the crowds present enjoyed the rugby and the hospitality on both days.

Sri Lanka retained the plate in the tournament and remained as they were last year. That is being the 5th placed. Keeping your place will not be good enough for the future as the aim should be attain higher levels. The Sri Lankan team has the talent in its squad to attain this. What is needed is the will to win which has to be backed up with the ability to take the correct option on the field. This was a shortcoming that made the local side not reach the cup stage. Mistakes can be corrected and the finish for the game sharpened. This will require the team to be together more and practice together than as has happened. What need to be remembered is that you can train a person to improve the skills but need is to look for stars with passion, flexibility and excitement. Passion, Flexibility and excitement are not that can be trained in but can be nurtured. The look for, is to have the people with attitude and train them for skill.

One drawback would have been that the players were after a fifteen a side games and with less exposure to the sevens. The tournament next year will be prior to the Asian Games and the rugby season will have to be planned so that the league will finish early giving more time for the circuit sevens. This depends on what objectives you have in mind.

The ability to come on top in the sevens has more opportunity for Sri Lanka and that must be taken into account when the overall plans are put in place. The proposed rugby workshop (congress) should be a brainstorming session to map out the future strategy for Rugby in Sri Lanka. Not just for a year but for a five year period. The plan then can be revisited and reviewed each year to polish areas that need further attention. This would need the participating of all the stake holders of the game. The Clubs, Players, Sponsors, Schools, Referees an all others who matter. It is then that a vision can be created so that strategy and plans will follow. It is only then there will be continuity.

Milestones must be identified and benchmarked against performance. The game has done better. This is not adequate. The quest should be to attain excellence.

It is all-round thinking and new thinking that is needed as the game is gaining momentum in the minds of the sport market in Sri Lanka. The need for new thinking is in. It may make many uncomfortable but facts of life are stubborn. And success is not living in the past but planning for the future. Here lies the key for the future success of Rugby in Sri Lanka and I am sure the leaders will meet that challenge.

The next phase will be to go into training for the world Cup Qualifiers against Kazakhstan. We sure will make the best attempt having tasted success so far. Let us not hope for the best but train to be the best. A pool of 42 has been selected .In the pool are seven school boys. Some may be happy that there are such a number of schoolboys. This on other hand tells another story.

The skills of the players at the major club level do not meet the standards required to represent the country. On the other hand are we to assume that there are seven brilliant products coming out of school. If so it is very good. On the other hand if it is because they are, only, better than those at club level: we have to start thinking and plan for the future vacuum. The story seems more complicated and relate to the past than the present.

The lack of talent among club players goes beyond despite all efforts and expenses incurred for development. To take a lesson from the past and plan for the future, than keep blaming the history will be the challenge. In the pool is Khalid of St Peters. Khalid no doubt has the talent of a great player. I have however not seen him on the field this year. I believe he is nursing a serious injury that has kept him out of the school tournament. Is he physically fit to be in the pool or are we going by past performance without knowing the ground reality. Whatever the answer be those responsible have to be aware or the acceptance of your selections will be in question.

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