 Getting placed third in the Asian Junior Rugby Championship Div 1 is an achievement Sri Lanka can be proud of. The juniors together with the seniors who are in the Asian 5-Nations Division 1 are and seem to be able to make a bid to be among the better rugby playing nations in Asia. What is important now is that we are up there and should continue to remain there.
That is where the need to plan and develop has to be strategized. This does not happen in a day and will have to be over time. The juniors have to be nurtured to be among the first two next year. This requires taking action now, to see that there will be a development pool when we reach August next year. When I say this the negative that will be uttered is that there are many in the different schools and also that the schools too have to practice. Next will be that most of those who have played will be out of school by next year.
The schools’ rugby system has always provided good fodder for the national grid.
(Pic by Sanka Vidanagama) |
The positive way to look at the issue is first to have a coach in place. Look for those players who are able to play next year and who were in the pool. The coach then should talk to the player’s respective school and organize a scheme to nurture them towards the expectation of the junior national team. These players can be seen by the national selectors who could add any new players.
Thus the selectors will see and can advise on the need to improve certain aspects of players, depending on the game plan of the coach. For example there may be a good player in a lower division or lesser known rugby playing school. For his school and the division he plays his work rate might be high and his talent may be good. Yet at a higher level his work rate may not be adequate.
This if seen during the season can be a point of development that will help the national effort. A similar system should be started with the senior team to make sure we are ready to face the giants of Asia early next year. For AVM Roshan Goonetilleke, the President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union, the need to win the war and not just the battle is not Greek. He has the experience and understanding that the war was not just won on that fateful day in May 2009 but was the result of years of leadership, planning and corporation by many. His task in Rugby should be easy meat.
The bad news in the midst of the good is leading player, Anuranga Walpola, being tested positive for the use of a banned enhancing substance. The Vice President of the Sri Lankan Rugby Football Union, Lasitha Gunaratne, who is a strong crusader for keeping drugs out of the game, said, “This is a good outcome through the efforts of the Union to keep rugby clean.” He also said that while most countries would test players at an International level the Union believes in starting at domestic games. This will help deter users and prevent Sri Lanka being disgraced if detected at international events. This he says will also help quell fears of anxious parents who know that there is vigilance. It is also noteworthy that Kandy Sports Club reacted very positively by taking action against the player. That acts to discourage players from taking banned substances, showing that clubs will not defend players if they are found to test positive. I understand the banned substance in this instance is Cannabis more commonly known as ‘Marijuana’ or ‘Ganja’.
Even though there are arguments in favor of the use of cannabis as a social drug it is actually at the top of the list of forbidden compounds detected by the WADA, according to the British Journal of Sports Medicine. It has been inferred from the psychological effects of marijuana that cannabis is effective only in allowing an athlete to relax and to escape from social pressures and can be used to improve sleeping time and sleep quality. What does rugby need from players, to sleep on the field or to be agile, mentally alert and physically active? The negative aspect for the athlete far outweighs the temporary satisfaction. Smoking Cannabis impairs reasoning, body movement and exercise performance. It is considered to be a drug having a negative effect on muscle capacity. Driving and piloting skills are also negatively affected, and this points to the danger of cannabis exposure when a high level of alertness and quick reflexes are required such as in rugby.
Dr. Maiya Gunasekera, former President of the SLRFU and Present Chairman of the National Sport Council, had this to say. “Those who resort to taking performance enhancers are not being fair to players and society. Clean players have to spend time, money and effort and make a lot of sacrifices to engage in a sport. If they have to compete against those who are not fair, it is not good. These persons also send the wrong signals to the youth who look up to sportsman as role models. Therefore there is a need to take action and strong action. That has been taken.”
*Vimal Perera is a former Rugby Referee, coach and Accredited Referees Evaluator IRB |
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