14 Wednesday 14th September, 2011 Rugby’s ills continue amidst Tournament committee refuses to change venue for excitement on the field Clifford Cup k/o final BY RAVI NAGAHAWATTE BY RAVI NAGAHAWATTE here is a saying that ‘a good general pulls off victory from Tthe jaws of defeat.’ The Sri Lanka Rugby The SRFRSL ASP, If the Navy Sports Club rugby Football Union (SLRFU) Nizam Jamaldeen, told team can be likened to that of a Tournament Committee has ‘The Island’ that he was general on the battlefield, they did decided not to change the not in favour of obtaining just that at the Clifford Cup knock- venue for the Clifford Cup the services of a foreign out tournament. knockout final despite a referee. The first occasion they did it written request from Kandy “In other countries, ref- was when they rose from the Sports Club to do so. erees don’t allow expats to dumps, before beating Police. The Kandy SC, in a letter, blow in their domestic next was in the semis when the gave the accessibility the matches,” said Jamaldeen Havies seemed like turning the Navy SC has to the match who added that the game on its head, with a second venue for practices as the Assigning committee of half rally. main reason behind their the SRFRSL would appoint Navy SC swamped the oppo- request for the change of a suitable local referee to nent’s goalline and scored a try and venue. Kandy SC has said officiate in the Kandy SC a penalty to seal victory after being in the letter that when a vs Navy SC match, sched- just ahead (13-12) minutes away team has access to a match uled for September 17 from full time. venue, it does not qualify to (Saturday) at the Royal This writer sees two generals in be a neutral venue and Sports Complex. that Navy SC side. One is third row hence have named CR&FC Canagaretna said that forward Bilal Hassen and the other as an alternative. he didn’t see any undue is fly half and place kicker Dev Kandy SC even had com- advantage Navy SC gets by Anand, who is back after injury and Havies Vs Navy SC in their Caltex Clifford Cup semi-final match played at Royal Sports Complex in Colombo last Saturday, Sep. 10. plaints regarding the neu- practising at the match has added so much confidence to (Pic by Kamal Wanniarachchi) tral venue chosen for the venue and added: “Kandy the side. knockout final last season SC can do the same when These two players have been the slow in deciding and knocked on this season. Some say that members attempted a penalty, 11 minutes (Bogambara Stadium) when they get to Colombo for the match winners for the ‘sea going when he seemed like having gone of the referees’ society are given from the end when his team was opponents Navy SC were final. We (the Tournament force’ this season. over the try line. No wonder he was the training and exposure, but like trailing by a solitary point. granted to train there days Committee) can’t stop any- From the beginning, Navy start- taken off in a jiffy and replaced as some average players, they too have The revelation for the Havies prior to the final, an oppor- one from booking Royal ed off as the favourites against the the game gathered momentum. The a limit to where they can progress. was that substitute linkman tunity not granted to them. Sports Complex to prac- Havies. This is because they are a highlight of the Havies’ play was A deeper look into refereeing in Sri Roshan Rajapaske who still has the Kandy SC has also tise,” he said. fully professional side which that they were butter fingered and Lanka shows that a good many of vigour in him to outsmart the requested for the services of Kandy SC in their let- employs rugby players who put in dropped the ball at crucial junc- them are also full time coaches. defence. a foreign referee to officiate ter, requesting a change of more training hours than the tures of the game. Navy played as a Are these referees cum coaches He went untouched and scored in the inter-club rugby venue, has also added that Havies players. This fact doesn’t unit and their run and the short spending enough time pursuing when his team probed the Navy final, where they’ll meet referees officiating in take away anything from that Navy pass game they adopted gave them their interests in refereeing? defence during a scrum in the sec- Navy SC for the second suc- domestic matches have win and the tremendous strides 10 points in the first half as against Referees’ society president, ASP ond half. Rajapakse was the regu- cessive year. been subject to enormous they’ve made in domestic rugby. nothing by Havelocks SC. Nizam Jamaldeen, when lar scrum half at the Park Club, Tournament Committee pressure on and off the How did they accomplish this? The way some of the contacted, said that he before former Sri Lanka sevens Chairman Jehan field by those yielding They grabbed the best players from Navy players have Midweek was happy with the specialist Amjad Buksh joined its Canagaretna, who con- power. every nook and corner; akin to how acted on the field this standard of refereeing ranks. The challenge next season firmed that there would be The SRFRSL president the Kandy Sports Club team, and season has been ques- Rugby in the country, but would be to retain both scrum no change in venue for the Jamaldeen refuted this the present government, have made tioned. The big bad wolf Review added that efforts were halfs at Havies, when other clubs final, added that Kandy claim saying no com- themselves strong! This is the age too seems to be concen- being made to improve the are going around in search of good SC’s request for an expatri- plaints have been made by of the ‘broiler chicken’ or ‘instant trating more on the game and standard of referees. players with their cheque books in ate referee has been for- referees of them being noodles’, so do not expect a side to doesn’t have time to abuse the refer- “Referees are being criticised hand! warded to the Society of abused at matches or spend several years before produc- ees. for the slightest thing, but I have The challenge for scribes each Rugby Football Referees in approached to be unduly ing a match winning side. As things There are confirmed reports not received any complaints about year is to write something new Sri Lanka (SRFRSL). influenced. are going, a weak team may sudden- about how referees continue to be referees being abused at matches,” about reigning champions Kandy ly become strong overnight. abused at matches. Eye witnesses Jamaldeen said. SC, who have won the Clifford Cup So what’s good about this ‘buy- told ‘The Island’ that Dilroy Coming back to how the Havies on a number of occasions. Last ing game’ is that there’s some sort Fernand was first questioned and played, many felt they should have Saturday, they overcame Sri Lanka Tiger Woods to of a level playing field, except for then abused after the Air Force Vs run their ‘threes’ more often. Air Force 15-7 after a scare in the Nuwan Hettiarachchi’s issues, Kandy SC game. The SLRFU boasts Anurudhdha Willawara scored a first half. where the equation seems to have of providing security at matches, classic try to reduce the deficit and The good news for Kandy SC is head Emirates been changed by the powers of that but they seem to conveniently also reminded that there were that Anuranga Walpola is back rule. By the way, where is poor ignore the fact that security for the other hungry ‘backs’ waiting for an after serving a ban for use of drugs Hettiarachchi? People who don’t referees also comes under their opportunity to have a run down the and played in the knockout semi- Australian Open much understand about national purview. park. Vithanage was kept in cold final. Another fact that needs to be rugby will know the answer! Despite an almost clean game by storage for most of the game. Full highlighted is that Kandy SC and DUBAI, U.A.E., 13 Sep. - competing to have their Coming back to the semi-final of Navy (they gave away just one yel- back Bandara was one of the lucky its management are fighting forces The Australian Open name inscribed on the the Clifford Cup in Colombo, the low card) and the Havies, promising ones to get his hands on the ball. that threaten to put a black mark announced that Emirates Stonehaven Cup, alongside Havies have only to blame them- referee Priyantha He showed he could side step on on rugby in Sri Lanka. The rugby will partner the champi- golfing greats such as Gary selves for lacking the discipline to Guneratne spoilt the match by both sides and run through the fraternity wishes to see the light at onship as the new naming Player, Jack Nicklaus, turn some of their most promising having an off day. He refused to defence at will. It was disappoint- the end of this dark tunnel. rights sponsor for the next Arnold Palmer, Greg moves into tries. R. Ratnage was spot unwanted play. The ability of ing to see him not score, both with Everybody needs a breath of three years in an agree- Norman, Tom Watson and one of the worst culprits.