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Amid unwanted implications
Lions roar for the big bite
By Vimal Perera
The 12th of December will be an important date for rugby in Sri Lanka; Kazakhstan will be in Colombo to play the second leg of the RWC qualifying round matches. Sri Lanka trailing 19–25 in the first leg will be hoping for a victory and a margin of over six points to enter the next round of the qualifiers. According to the Executive Director of the SLRFU, the team has been in training form the 28th of October.

The team will miss the services of dynamic forward Pavithra Fernando who has not recovered from the injury suffered in the first leg. The RWC qualifying match will be played on the 12th of December at Longden Place. Considering the weather conditions in the afternoons the match is scheduled to start at 3.30 p.m. The SLRFU will be giving free 30 tickets to each school. The schoolboys will be housed in a special enclosure. Tickets for others are to be priced at Rs 250 (Pavilion) and Rs. 100. Here is the chance for rugby in Sri Lanka to climb another notch.

The Lankan boys will definitely have the home advantage and more suitable conditions as they battle. The rugby community can spur them to success by their presence in numbers. All the best to the Lankan team and let us all join in the celebrations on the 12th.

On Saturday the 1st of November I walked into Havelock Park hoping to witness the Under 21 Final organized by the Western Province rugby Football union. I met a couple who being ardent followers of the game had braved the fickle weather and come to see CR and FC play against the Havelock’s Sports Club in the under 21 Final. With a look of disappointment they asked me whether there is any truth that the final is not being played. Having inquired from others I confirmed that the Final is not played and Havelock’s have conceded a walkover.. The reason being that some of the players were involved in the inter company tournament of their employees played on the same date.

The Sri Lankan rugby players are at practice to be in shape for the 12th are finding irritants cast on their way. According to authorities of the SLRFU there has been a misunderstanding on the use of the grounds and the gymnasium of the Longden Place Club. The National squad has been asked to vacate the grounds and at times the fitness centre. The grounds and the exercise room it is reported was needed for training of the under 21 players of the academy. The request for the National team to vacate has been conveyed by the coach of the club.

There have been occasions where the club manger has conveyed that the practice is disturbing the members walking on the track. As a result the national team is making efforts for the use of the Royal College Sports complex. They use the Longden place grounds too because of the need to be more familiar with the rounds where the match is played. . It was thought the season was seeing changes, for the better, with national interest getting the place it deserves. Not so it seems for some. Specially those who are from down under who see no truck with our national aspirations.
It is reported the soccer players who practice at the same grounds are more accommodating.

It is stated that every time an issue arises the squad management have to appeal to the CR and FC President who has been magnanimous. Yet it keeps surfacing the next day with the coach losing his trend and thought having to cope with issues which should otherwise be not there. Hopefully issues will be sorted out and the national side will proceed on its journey.

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