The Fifteens Rugby Season 2010 has got off the ground with the schools matches played last week. The first week it started with a bang from the point of view of rugby crowds. With more than one “A Division” school match being played on one day the spectator was denied of more than one opportunity.
This week the clubs will commence playing the “Caltex” league tournament. This will add further to the dispersion of the spectator. The many matches at school and club level will compete to draw the spectator and the gate collection. The die-hard old boy or the club supporter will, even if they want to watch more than one match, be compelled to seek what is close to his heart. While the spectator loses a good game the schools and the club loses on the gate collection.
Last week there were three school matches played in Colombo and two in Kandy on Saturday. In the weeks ahead this will include club matches too. If there were fewer clashes and the games were spread to different days of the week the crowds may have been more at a particular venue. This also stretches the match officials which include referees, match commissioners, medical staff and ambulances which may not be adequate to cover all venues in one day. At the end of the day the game will lose though you have had your say and finally the blame will be specifically to the referee who gets the game and is the best available.
Action from Royal-Prince of Wales game. |
The Isipatana-St. Peters match was the pick of the spectators who turned in large numbers to a battered Havelock Sports Club Ground. Paying an exorbitant price they had to do with wet seats and the exposure to the slight rain that beat in to the pavilion through the damaged roof. The few grounds that are available need to be maintained. This is not an easy task for Havelock’s who have been having a not so good time on the field as in the past. It is not so easy to get sponsors and the club that has a history and place in rugby needs the support of the parent body. It is not only the club that will lose but also the many schools that use the ground for practices as well as for their matches. With the game as it is and the various issues that deny the IRB funding where will there funds for development? Maybe another ground for the Football Federation to get involved.
The contest of the SPC vs. Pathana clash which was expected to be a cliff hanger did not reach such a climax. Yet the crowd that has, otherwise, been treated to a continuous dose of politics of the game did not go home disappointed. Pathana who started with an opening score by way of a penalty was taken aback by the power and aggressive play of St. Peter’s team. The margin of victory would have been more if only the tendency not to pass the ball was curbed. In the first half there were at least three scoring opportunities that were missed due to selfish play. Similar chances were put away in the second half. All happened after good and hard work done in entertaining style by getting closer to the try line. Pathana on the other hand had the disadvantage of smaller players and the efforts were negatively compounded by missed tackles. As they progress to the next games they will have to take big sides and therefore need to revisit and redraw their game plans to stay in contention.
Trinity met the minnows of the top league and rolled over Dharmaraja quite easily winning their game by 44 points to 5. Royal got the better of Prince of Wales the other minnow in this league and won their game by 35 points to 6. Prince of Wales who tastes the game at this level for the first time did however produce a valiant display.
In Mount Lavinia S. Thomas’ had a scare up at the end of the first half with Wesley leading by 5 points to nil . The Mount side picked up in the second half ending winners by 29 points to 5. Wesley by this performance has shown that they are no easy meat. Meeting the best sides in the coming weeks will not be easy and could demoralize this talented side. Theirs is a task to keep their head up as they could then keep their position in the top league.
Another contender for the top league Kingswood won their game against St. Anthony’s College Kandy. Though having possession SACK failed to capitalize whereas Kingswood made use of the opportunities that came their way.
The season for school rugby is sure to be an entertaining one with the big names getting off to a winning start. More to come in the coming weeks as the club season too gets underway. Not to be outdone will be the politics and the game that will be another story depending on a quorum for the AGM.
Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB |
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