Wednesday 21st March, 2012 13 National rugby needs a savior BY RAVI NAGAHAWATTE cle on player agents on England Rugby -the official drafted into the national team. Can he hunt for play- time in Sri Lanka where the existing clubs which magazine for England Rugby. In a nutshell what the ers alone or is his role ideally coaching the raw tal- play rugby union have to compete with a new club ri Lanka has so much of rugby talent, but a article highlights is that player agents need to be ent that is brought to him by player agents? We have which has a lot of clout, the forces teams and the good amount of that is lost due to lack of licensed with the Rugby Football Union. The player also seen the silent role played by former rugby authorities which are trying to promote the game of Sopportunities. There was once a time when agent has to ensure that he considers the pros and development officers like B.K. Ramachandra, K. S. American football. The clubs don’t ensure players Kandy SC was frowned upon for having very good the cons when helping a player to switch his club or P. Karunaratne, R. P. Sarath and the late Beauty are released for national training. If the player players on the reserve’s bench, players who were when supplying a new recruit to a club. At times Guneratne who made large contributions to the agents are duty bound to work with the SLRFU for denied to other clubs as a result. Then there have like this he has to put all what he knows in front of careers of budding players, but they never went on their existence, then they can ensure the player been so many others with potential, who were lost to live the role of player agent. For example maps out his future so that he balances both club to the game due to the lack of rugby playing clubs. Sabaragamuwa Province, where Karunaratne has rugby and national rugby. This way there is a guar- Here, we are talking about a lack of a place in the A This seems to be the right time to done a lot of hard work, produced national players antee that players will show the same commitment team in established clubs. introduce player agents to the system like Anuradha Dharmatilake, Budhdhika for both club and national rugby. Just consider the hordes of players that the Thalagampola, Saliya Handapangoda school system produces each year and most of them and make them work closely with play- and Suranga Arunashantha. can’t be of much use in the long term because there Player agents should ideally see that is no plan to have a second string national rugby ers, ensuring this relationship comple- a player’s talent doesn’t fritter away both team which will get tours and playing opportunities ments the work of the SLRFU after leaving school and after joining a like with the Sri Lanka’s Cricket ‘A’ team. club. Now we need replacements for The pullout of several senior cadres of the Marija, Weeraratne brothers Roshan and national rugby team has underscored the impor- the player concerned and make him (the player) do Gayan, Sean Wijesinghe and Pradeep tance of having a second string team to pick from the final decision making. Some of the areas which Liyanage, our match winners at interna- when there is a crisis. Sri Lanka is at the moment need to be given thorough consideration is whether tional tournaments. The SLRFU is struggling to compile a team for the upcoming the player would get enough playing time at the club unable to find replacements which will Asian 5 Nations, but the unavailability of several he wishes to join, walk into a decent squad environ- strengthen the side to meet the chal- seniors has made the national selectors scratch ment or whether the club is playing in the premier lenges at the Asian 5 nations. See, the their heads for solutions. domestic tournament in that country. The writer SLRFU sometime back announced that If we leave the destiny of all those talented play- also stresses a player agent should not necessarily no one in the country can conduct rugby ers in the hands of the SLRFU, their futures might do a gamut of roles and must seek professional tournament for adults or kids without not be that rosy. This writer says this because what advice when dealing with matters outside his area its blessings. Player agents must work the SLRFU can offer established players compared of specialty, to serve his client professionally. The together with the SLRFU and have a to what the clubs offer can be likened to what a vil- article ends… therefore it’s essential that players clause in their business deals, with play- lage bloke earns in a ramshackle village bakery in have professional advice to make sure they are pro- ers, which specifies, that all players comparison to what he can earn in a posh bakery in tected in what can be a very short career. must commit themselves to national the heart of Colombo. Several years ago we saw clubs like Galle RFC, duty whenever the call is made. In hind- It’s high time that we spoke about the role of tal- Kurunegala RFC, Jawatte Lions and even Peterson’s sight to the selfish manner in which ent scouts who now have to elevate their status to be Sports Club play big time rugby. Most of these clubs some players’ associations in cricket are managers of players or player agents. Now I must were started thanks to amateur player agents who making unreasonable demands, player warn you that my sport’s editor has the tendency to probably supplied the players for these clubs to agents who complement the work of the jump up and down and swear at all those who are enable a quick kick off without getting any mone- SLRFU can a have a zero negative playing the role of player agent in the cricket scene tary benefit in return. We are in an era where the impact on the system. because he feels they are not giving the players a SLRFU has appointed a development coach in The time has come for rugby union fair deal. Just the other day, I read an informed arti- Sanath Martis whose role is to spot talent and coach players to have the services of a player them, so that they reach the desired level to be agent to enjoy a secure future. This is a Sharmal Dissanayake, Women’s Inter-Provincial T20 tournament youngest to win Royal Atapattu settle contest in favour Crown in tennis of North Central Province Chamari Atapattu was the difference her right to take Central Province to victory between North Central Province and but lack of support from the others gave Southern Province as the former won their Western Province a 16-run victory at Army Women’s Inter-Provincial T20 tournament grounds, Panagoda yesterday. match at Army grounds, Panagoda by 21 Batting first after winning the toss, runs yesterday. Western Province’s total received a timely Atapattu, opening for North Central after boost in Shashikala Siriwardene, who being invited to bat, slammed 67 off 52 balls cracked 30 runs off 19 balls, to carry inclusive of eight fours and two sixes to take Western Province score to some respectabili- her team to a respectable 111. Chandima ty. Opener Dedunu Silva scored 28 while Gunaratne took three wickets but Southern Sandamali Dolawatte provided assistance to Province, when their turn came, was in cau- Siriwardene by composing a calm 27. tion first mood and never reached the required rate at any point during the match. Nilukshani, who grabbed 4/21 opening Sharmal Dissanayake, 15, receiving the prestigious They eventually finished at 90 in the allotted for Central Province, took the matters into Royal Crown from D. W. L. Liverze to become the 20 overs after a strangle to hand North her own hands by laying the platform for a youngest to win the title in tennis at the Royal Colours Central women —for whom Hansima late onslaught with a patient 45 but the flur- ry in the late stages never materialised. May Night held in Colombo on March 14. Karunarathne picked up three wickets— an easy 21 run win. be she left too much to do in the end and BY REVATA S. SILVA Brief Scores: Siriwardene and Sherena Ravikumar North Central Province 111 all out 19.5 bowled miserly spells to stem the run rate as Sharmal Dissanayake, 15, former National ten- overs (Chamari Atapattu 67, Hansima well as well take wickets as Western nis champion of Under-10, 12 and 14 age groups and Karunarathne 13, Prasadani Weerakkody 13; Province prevailed handsomely. (CP) the current runner-up of U-16 and 18, won the covet- Chandima Gunaratne 3/20, Rangika Brief Scores: ed Royal Crown this year for his outstanding Fernando 1/15, Udeshika Prabodhani 1/17, Western Province 125/6 in 20 overs Inoka Ranaweera 1/22) achievements in tennis at the Royal College Colours (Shashikala Siriwardene 30, Dedunu Silva Night held on March 14 in Colombo. Dissanayake Southern Province 90 for 9 wkts in 20 29, Sandamali Dolawatte 27; Shaleka thus emerged the youngest to win the Royal Crown overs (Rangika Fernando 19 n.o., Eshani Nilukshani 4/21) for the sport of tennis. Kaushalya 15; Hansima Karunarathne 3/11, Central Province 109/7 in 20 overs Former leading National players Harshana Priyangika Wanasinghe 2/5, Dumila Dedunu (Shaleka Nilukshani 45, Chamari Godamanna and Franklyn Emmanuel have also 1/4) won the Royal Crown which is presented for having Nilukshani’s heroics in vain Polgampola 28; Sherena Ravikumar 3/19, the highest achievement in a sport as a Royal Shaleka Nilukshani did everything in Shashikala Siriwardene 2/14).