The appointment of citing officers along with the introduction of a few awards meant to curb ill-discipline among players and coaches are a few of the innovations up the sleeve of Sri Lanka schools rugby officials.
News of these innovative ideas were released to the media as schools rugby officials launched the impending 2014 inter-school rugby season along-side their benefactor Singer Sri Lanka at a press conference held at BMICH on Monday evening.
Briefing reporters at the media launch both the president of SLSRFA Ranjith Chandrasekera and its secretary Susantha Mendis extolled the virtues of the two concepts.
Both averred that schools rugby here has reached a crucial juncture where it was imperative that they introduced novel concepts if the game is to be maintained on a par with the international game.
“Citing officers will be appointed to cover all ‘A’ Division games, as per the new IRB laws,” said secretary Mendis.
“Through this mechanism which has now become part and parcel of international rugby, we will be able to keep a tab on unruly conduct of players at a given time. Also we have received tremendous support towards this measure from ex-Sri Lanka players and former referees and we intend to carry forward this process during the 2014 inter-school rugby season.”
Meanwhile, Schools Rugby Association chief Chandrasekera said they have decided to introduce a whole heap of awards for players and coaches such as best disciplined player, best disciplined coach, the best disciplined schools team, the leading try scorer, the leading points- scorer (place-kicker) etc.
Chandrasekera added that through such awards they were making an effort to maintain discipline and unity among all competing teams throughout various divisions of the Singer league, following
unprecedented unruliness unleashed in the tournament a few seasons back.
The president of the SLSRFA and its secretary expressed contentment of being able to organize the forthcoming Singer league without any support from the parent body (SLRFU), following a recent feud between the two bodies concerning sponsorships.
Both maintained that the feud between them and the SLRFU concerning sponsorships has been resolved.
The duo insisted they were now ready to pump their energies towards running the new league championship with the sponsorship provided by Singer.
Chandrasekera remarked that henceforth they will look after sponsorship needs of all junior teams whenever, international assignments come calling.
Susantha Mendis also told the media that the SLSRFA has also formed an advisory committee consisting of past players and administrators to be on hand to proffer advice and guidance to its officials in their bid to take schools rugby to the next level.
The latest edition of the Under-20 schools rugby tournament featuring first XV players from over 80 schools is expected to showcase nearly 300 matches strewn across Divisions 1, 2 and 3.
The tournament will be sponsored for its 10 year by leading sports promoter Singer Sri Lanka with the tournament overseen by the SLSRFA and officials of the Ministry of Education under whose purview it falls.
Singer Schools Rugby 2014 Media Launch
