COVID-19 handed off rugby during 2020

By Shamseer Jaleel

COVID-19 put a temporary stop to all sports activities not only around the globe but in Sri Lanka as well. This occurred since March 2020.

Club rugby came to a stop soon after the conclusion of the League encounters. The much-awaited 100 plus years conducted Clifford Cup knock out rugby tournament which was due to take place in March 2020 was initially postponed and then later cancelled due to the continuity of uncertainty in the country over the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Kandy Sports Club under the leadership of Nigel Ratwatte became the unbeaten club champions dominating club rugby in the country. Though Kandy got selected for the South Asian Club championship organised by the Asia Rugby (AR), it could not take place. 

Initially all looked settled after the complete controlled of the first round of COVID-19 but the second attack of the pandemic went out of hand where all the sporting activities were cancelled at club plus school levels. 

Asia Rugby senior Division 1 event which was to take place in Colombo during April 2020 too was postponed and now it will take place in Sri Lanka during 2021 April with Sri Lanka, Singapore, UAE and Taipei taking part in it. The third leg of the Asia Rugby Sevens both for Men and Women segment too was postponed for 2021.

School rugby saw many top division schools being able to complete only two of their league matches but it came to a stop in early March 2020. Defending champions Royal, St. Peter’s and Trinity possessed formidable outfits but unfortunate stoppage in sports affected the rugby players, many of them in the last year of their school career. They will carry this sad memory for their entire life, with many of them losing out on the opportunity to get colours in the oval shaped ball game plus representing the country with much pride which was their ultimate hope. 

The postponed Asia Rugby Under 19 top 4 which was scheduled in December 2020 too was postponed to 2021 March. Sri Lanka who were supposed to host the December event will do so in 2021 December. Meanwhile the postponed 2020 AR Under 19 Top 4 will take place in Taipei during March/April 2021.

Cricket too came to an early stop due to COVID-19 and the scheduled Big Matches could not take place. Only the Royal vs. S. Thomas’ encounter was possible just scraping though but the rest of them were cancelled.

Year 2021 gives lot of hope with people all over the globe needing to live with COVID-19. Postponed AR Under 19 Top 4, AR Sevens and the AR Division 1 tournaments will be hosted by the hardworking Sri Lanka Rugby headed by Rizly Ilyas who are waiting for the kick off in the oval shaped ball game. 

With many successful meetings with sponsors and Minister of Sports taking place in the recent past a kick off in the shorter version of the game looks possible for the sport in the country. There is a strong possibility for the Inter Club Sevens to take place during late January and February with the players being quarantined and all health regulations respected.

Sri Lanka Rugby President Rizly Ilyas told Daily FT: “2020 will be a year seared in all our memories. It’s been a year that has fundamentally challenged long-established certainties about what we think is safe and what we believe is healthy in all areas of our lives. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought so many changes and challenges to our family, sports, and working lives that were all but impossible to foresee at the start of the year. It has changed the world.”

He added: “Whatever the future brings, I am sure that Sri Lanka Rugby and its partners and stakeholders will keep striving to improve on getting rugby back to its feet. The pandemic has shown that by working together, whether onsite or remotely, we can achieve high occupational health and safety standards and continue fulfilling our mission.”

He thanked Minister of Sports Namal Rajapaksa and Asia Rugby President Qais Abdulah Al Dhalai for their continued support for the oval shaped ball game.