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Another year dawned giving hope for a New Year to live. This will be an opportunity to right some wrongs and to be optimistic of the future. It was not long after the dawn of the year that good news of Sri Lanka Rugby Team being victorious was heard. It was a resounding victory over Chinese Taipei. The score of 37 points to 7 speaks volumes for what can be achieved.
As you read this column you will find elsewhere the result of our final match against Singapore. Singapore beat Malaysia in a very closely fought game by 22 points to 20 and are due to meet Sri Lanka in the Final.
This achievement should rightly go to the Sri Lankan team which had a few days of practice together. It is an achievement for Coach Johan Taylor who had only a limited number of days to mould the team to a winning outfit. Lifting of the ban imposed on players was also a contributing factor to the success of the team which boasted of the “better players”. This year the team took wing without controversy on selection of a captain or players as did happen in previous years.
 There was yet little uncertainty that prevailed with the Minister of Sport insisting on a letter of apology. Saner counsel prevailed and the team that was the better one proceeded and notched a good victory. The team also had some anxious moments as one of their team mates went missing from practice. It later transpired that the player was spending time with the law authorities in Singapore as he was found to have been helping himself in a shop. These incidents do happen and as usual the finger will be pointed at the officials who accompanied the team. The obvious question will be how he got out and got away from the team. For a starter you don’t keep all players in the match official’s room.
What is required is to take this and or other similar incidents that have happened and use them for learning and educating. The need to get experts to address the players before departure on the various distractions that may be there and the security that may be much stronger and the law that may be applied in countries that you may visit.
The need to condition players to understand the temptations that may come your way and to be careful needs to be stressed. It is just not goods on the shelf that may distract a new kid.While Sri Lanka does well in the Asian circuit and we eagerly await the results of the final, there is much speculation and concern as the start of the season is getting close. The biggest concern of those who are in the process of building teams is the man in the middle, who holds a whistle in his hand.
The concern is heightened as it appears that neither side is willing to blink. That is the interim body, who has suspended the committee of the referees, and the more experienced referees who have been reluctant to offer their services. The concern comes from coaches’ administrators and the wise advisory committees. The game was continued with a few willing souls. The wise opine that those games were not competitive as those that are expected to be faced during the season. Thus the referees being brought under control with anybody could referee will not work. Most of the games ere sevens and also the knock-out, which were the XV games, saw some of the referees back on the field. The referees feel though they came back, the union has failed to live up to its promises.
They feel that the union has deprived them of the opportunities offered to them to officiate in the Asian Circuit. The referees argue that these are appointments which are merit based and not offered to a country. The union on the other hand thinks in terms of giving the chances to those who heeded their call and went along with the union. Others involved in the game and whose time and money are at stake want a solution as they believe those who have gone along do not have the experience and the capacity to handle a crucial game. The controlling body is on record as having said that they will referee with those that are available.
Finally everybody brings that virtual and hacked statement which has been prostituted many a times according to the referees. That is “for the sake of the game” or “the game must go on”. It seems the referees are not willing to bite and are in no hurry to request for a Special General Meeting which they say was asked for over six months ago as they returned to referee. It seems the only “A” division referee who bit the bait last time is not willing do so this time around. The offer to give him international exposure never materialized as those appointments are referee specific and not country specific.
According to the referees this New Year it will be an opportunity to tolerate fools but not encourage them to take more of their time. The Minister of Sports in the new cabinet is to have a handful of problems as the new term starts.
All that is happening reminds me of the book: “The Other Guy Blinked- How Pepsi Won the Cola War” By Roger Enrico the former CEO of Pepsi.
Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB |
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