SLRFU has big plans for 2013

Written by Mevan Peiris
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Category: rugby
Published: 30 November 2012
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The committee of the SLRFU had met yesterday to discuss about some of the crucial decisions for the coming years and ThePapare.com spoke to Mr. Rizly Illyaz about the future plans for Sri Lankan rugby and potential opportunities.

 

TP: What is Ben Gollings' role after the sevens series. Will he be contracted again?

SLRFU: Yes, he will be remaining as the national coach for the next year. However we want him to focus more on the three quarters and be the back line coach while we are considering an additional forwards coach. We have a couple of probable candidates,  one Samoan and another coach who has been coaching in South Africa.

As we have seen with Gollings, a good coach with international repute will be a big motivation for the boys as well.

TP: What about the choice of Captain going forward for the 15s & sevens tournaments?

SLRFU: We don't want to name a captain at the start of the year. This has been a bad precedent, since by doing so the person appointed may be over confident of his place in the team.  As we did for the sevens tournament last year, we will appoint the captain depending on his skill, fitness and availability closer to the tournament.

TP: What is the plan for the SL sevens side for next year's Olympic qualifier?

SLRFU: We will definitely be trying to qualify with the women's team and that is the main focus as of now since it will be very competitive with the men's team. However, due to the location of the qualifiers we might have a chance if there is low participation from the Asian teams.

TP: Majority of the Asian sides have foreign players representing their national side. Why isn't Sri Lanka adopting the same?

SLRFU: This is definitely an option that we are considering. At the Dialog Rugby Awards, the Sports Minster verbally approved of this concept. However, due to the regulations stating that a player must have 36 months residency in the country they represent, we will only reap the benefits of this in three or more years if it is implemented immediately.

TP: The lack of physique has been a main concern over the years. what steps has the SLRFU taken to improve this?

SLRFU: If we take a look at the history Sri Lankan players have had the physique to some extent. What is important is the proper financial backing and planning to implement a good nutrition plan that will be sustainable. Hopefully with the sponsors coming in we will be able to achieve this in the future.

TP: What are the other plans for SL rugby in the future?

SLRFU: Something that is very current and was discussed in the meeting yesterday was about the possibility of hosting the Asian 5Nations tournament in Sri Lanka next year. This will be a good opportunity for us.

The SLRFU and its current committee has a good understanding on what needs to be done and within the past two years we have achieved progress. Everyone is very broad minded and is focused on developing Sri Lankan rugby.

Comments

Is SLSRFU promoting the game or the schools of their choice ???

As per my understanding based on Constitution & Rule book of SLSRFU , it is a governing body responsible to ministry of education. In its constitution it says their purpose is to promote the game and bring the youthful talent to national and international level. However it can be observed that some of their initiatives and behaviors are quite contradicted to the purpose they outlined in the constitution.

Promoting the Game -

Does it mean that stealing players from the schools which are good in Rugby to the school of the President of SLSRFU???

Does it mean dragging critical decisions related to a school that has promising talent until that talent is moved to his school ???

Does it mean treating different schools in different ways and favoring some and pushing another away from competitive rugby???

Does it mean taking decisions without any rationale and when its wrong blaming others for misleading???

Disciplinary Actions & Judicial proceedings.

Punishing innocents for not having right processes to keep people accountable and responsible for what their doing. One thing we need to understand is that there is a difference between clubs and Schools ( Government ) clubs are governed by its respective committees appointed by the members through a vote. In a situation when they do something wrong and if a punishment is imposed to the club, members are bound accept it because they have appointed the people. But in a school governing bodies and administrators are appointed by the ministry of education or the bodies bodies who are accountable and responsible to the education ministry therefore if they do a mistake can you punish the school, students, parents & old boys ??? This is the point we need to understand. That's why some eminent Rugby personalities in the country says the decisions given by SLSRFU are nothing different to King Kekilles's decisions.

There are lot more things to say and this is not the forum to do so,,, But we will do it surely where it matters.I would like to convey two messages,

1. Dear SLRFU please take over this schools rugby in to your hand. Now there trying to get close to you all not because of anything its just because they know that there position in stake and they try to endorsements from you for all the wrong things they do. In simple SLSRFU has set of Muppets on big chairs lead by a joker who is on the president's chair.

2. It was not an easy journey for us to bring our school's rugby to this height and we will never let muppets and jokers to put us down.

Daminda Perera

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