Sports - Another city conquered

Rathgama close to the Southern city of Galle is known to have given “pocket rocket” Lasith Malinga to the game of cricket. The people in this village are crazy about cricket, in the words of Malinga. Having produced a sportsman of such distinction and who has aroused curiosity in most parts of the cricketing world the curiosity of the people would have been stirred up as they watched the game of rugby.

May be the future might see another rocket being contributed from Rathgama. This time around it may be to rugby.

On the 26th and 27th of August the SLRFU took the game to this southern town by organizing the Singer Professional Sevens and was hosted by the Southern Province Ruby Football Union. Taking part were the well known rugby clubs in Sri Lanka: Kandy SC, CR and FC, Army SC, Police SC, Air Force SC and the Old Zahirians. They were joined by clubs from Galle, Ambantota, KelaniValley and Uva.

Noticeable by their absence were CH and FC and the Havelock’s Sports Club. It was whispered that the CH side who are under a period of suspension did not want to risk the team during the cool off period. Is this a good excuse or is it sounds thinking? The Havelock’s team had been in Chennai during this period. After a start of no hope the young Havelock’s side did well to enter the final of the Clifford cup knock out. Taking their boys on tour is important to keep up their morale and enthusiasm.

Without two well known teams and the CR and Kandy meeting in the semi final the thoughts were that this may well be the final. The Final of the cup championship proved to a thrilling affair and produced entertaining Rugby. The final score of 36 for CR as against 29 by Air Force is a lot of ball work and completion during the twenty minutes of the game. While CR earned a well deserved victory for their hard work the Air Force side should be remembered for the plucky display. With Two minutes to the final whistle it was Air Force that was in the lead. Theirs was a performance that deserves all the praise as theirs is not a side with names you may remember. The performance of the Air Force side will help to boost up their morale. The side as they stay together will provide stiff opposition to the better known.

There was also a commendable performance from the Galle RFC side that played in the cup semi final and lost to CR ‘B’ in the plate final. The Old Aloysius team from Galle winning the shield was a booster for rugby in the Southern Province.Kumar Abeywardena and his team from Galle must take a lot of credit for the hard work done to make this tournament a success. This will contribute for development of the sport in these parts. One sour note was the behaviour of players of a particular team who were under a misguided view that the teams from Galle should be winners as the tournament is held in the Southern Province. This led to unnecessary verbal battles and was not in the spirit of sportsmanship. Continued harassment and comments led to a final physical confrontation. The organizers should take note of those involved and if they are players they must be weeded out of the game. Action against the culprits is not impossibility as the disruptor was taken in by the law enforcement officers.

The CR players that were at the receiving end showed that they have a lot more to offer in terms of physical ability and the strength to take a bashing as well as give it back. A silver lining was the Unity of players of opposing teams such as the Police and Air Force who were there to protect the players who a short while before have been their opponents.

That is the spirit of the game that must be understood.

On the lighter side there was the veteran player who thought that to be there for another day was important than to a risk of getting bashed. He changed his red jersey and was seen in a shirt mingling with the crowd and smiling away.

The scene in the schools is a confrontation for championship between St Anthony’s College of Kandy and St Peter’s College. Who ever who turns up winner will annex the league little. The contest in the B segment of Division 1 is still open with Trinity, Issipatana and Royal battling out for the first two slots and promotion segment “A” next year.

While the battle is on the field, there is continued, whispering behind the scene. You may hear more about the violation of the Education Ministry Circular on the eligibility criteria.