Rugby: Coaches' tour of New Zealand in jeopardy

The intended programme of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR), to send eight hand-picked Rugby coaches to New Zealand for a two-week Level II Coaching Programme is at jeopardy it is said. 

The project, funded by the Ministry of Sports, has come to a doubtful position after many, involved in the sport, raised questions of the transparency and criteria of selecting the eight potential candidates. 

Priyantha Ekanayake, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SLR, confirmed that the SLR piloted project, supported by the Ministry of Sports, but has its doubts of materialising as the finalisation part of the project is beyond their control. 

"The SLR made a proposal to the Ministry of Sports on the project of sending eight local coaches to New Zealand for a residential training programme. The Ministry of Sports gave us the green light and offered their support, and they wanted SLR to recommend eight coaches. We gave them the eight names after going through a certain selecting criteria, but the process is yet to be finalised by the Ministry of Sports. We are not certain if it will move forward as planned or it will be called off, which means the project is pending ratification from the Ministry of Sports, who are funding," Ekanayake said.
 
According to information gathered, the selection criteria followed by the SLR or a unit appointed by them, came under heavy criticism after the eight names of the selected coaches were made public earlier this week. 

Reports revealed names such as Sri Lanka Women's, Sri Lanka Under-18 7s and Under-20 7s coach Sudath Sampath, former Royal coach Asanga Rodrigo, current St. Anthony's coaching staff member Nalaka Weerakkody, Zahira coach Shamly Nawaz, Isipathana coach Lasintha de Costa, well known player and manager Rajeev Perera, St. Joseph's coaching staff member Amila Chathuranga and Sri Lanka Women's player Thanuka Weerakkody are among the intended touring party. 

The project was made feasible with the involvement of Sajith Jayalal, the Director General of the National Institute of Sports Science, Rohan Gunaratne, the Executive Director of SLR and Inthi Marikkar, the High Performance Director of SLC. 

But what came under the spotlight was the so-called criteria of selecting the candidates, which was never made public. 

Certain top officials of SLR maintained the fact that the selection was totally based in providing the opportunity to the promising and potential. 

But that argument becomes a blunder with the inclusion of Sampath, who is good enough to coach three national level sides. 

In addition some question the job profile of Marikkar, who is said to have been involved in selecting the eight names. 

"The High Profile Unit is doing a fine job, that we have to admit. But the question is, they do not have a proper structural plan on their tasks. Marikkar usually accompanies whenever any national team goes overseas, and that's been insisted by the SLR, because he is representing the governing body and he will know what to plan next. Sri Lanka has always been getting positive outcomes in the recent times because of that. We also know that there are wheels within wheels and there are all probable possibilities of taking things for granted. We cannot direct fingers on Marikkar, but there are also grey areas he has left, for instance when it comes to selecting those eight coaches," said a source. 

The misfit selections became the highlight when the list missed top potential coaches in the likes of Sanath Martis, Nilfer Ibrahim, or Mothilal Jayathilake despite including Lasintha de Costa and Shamly Nawaz, which itself is a contradiction to what the officials had said. 

Including Nalaka Weerakkody may come in as a welcome news given the fact of his track record as a former high profile player. 

But the rest of the lineup has been the talking point to most of the fraternity, who are well aware of the ins and outs of the sport. 

It's also an unknown fact that a number of well known coaches in the local arena have declined the offer to fly to the land of the All Blacks due to other commitments. 

It's also news that SLR officials and the top brass of the Ministry of Sports have been getting telephone calls from unhappy coaches, officials and followers as soon as the names were released. 

In fact many top coaches opted not to even talk about the 'New Zealand tour' which they claim, 'never had a proper criteria' after all. 

They claim that besides one or maximum two, many were friends of certain friends, who have been included to take part in an all paid trip. 

With that background, the Ministry of Sports is surely under heavy judgment of the next step according to insiders.