That revered game of rugby no more?

Whilst rugby was a very competitive and tough sport, it was always an enjoyable, sociable and friendly sport, with total respect for all rugby enthusiasts

By Earle Amerasekera 

I am an old Royalist and attended college in 1950, via Royal Primary from 1945 to 1950. I left college in April 1955 and joined the Royal Air Force in England, under a new and special administrative apprentice scheme and served at various RAF stations in the United Kingdom and abroad. I retired from RAF in 1985 and moved to London, where I still reside.

During the whole of my RAF career, I played competitive cricket, athletics and my main choice of rugby union, where I played as a hooker, for all of my 29 years of service. Although chiefly in the United Kingdom, I played competitive rugby, representing every stations’ team where I was serving and included, Singapore, Cyprus, Ceylon, Ascension Island, as well as Jersey.

Whilst rugby was a very competitive and tough sport, it was always an enjoyable, sociable and friendly sport, with total respect for all rugby enthusiasts and usually ended with some drinking, sing songs and banter together with opposing players, coaches, supporters and on occasions, wives, partners, friends, children, etc. At all games home and away.

Now, at the ripe old age of 86 and a great grandfather I have been shocked and disappointed at the various instances of thuggery, assaults, fighting and other unacceptable activities amongst the rugby fraternity, particularly in Sri Lanka, much of which is attributable to the coaches, sports masters and the players.

These unacceptable practices have now extended outside the rugby field and into bullying on school premises. A recent incident at Royal College, where a rugby player from the college team, severely sexually and physically assaulted an innocent, smaller, resting fellow student, resulting in the victim spending four days in hospital and causing his mother to report that Royal College was breeding a future murderer, caused me severe disgust and abhorrence.

I immediately contacted a Deputy Principal, who was also the Sports Master, who responded that this thug had been banned from all sports activities and counselled. There was no suggestion of any interest or activity towards the innocent victim. My immediate thoughts were that the assault should rightly have been reported to the police and that the culprit should have been immediately sacked from Royal College.

This however was not the case, as about three weeks later, I saw a WhatsApp message which showed some photographs of the Royal College rugby squad, which included details of this culprit, for the forthcoming season. I immediately contacted the Sports Master, who assured me that this thug and the victim had been sufficiently counselled and that all was now well.

Since this incident, I do not believe that this matter had been reported to the Police, but, there is a suggestion that it may have been reported, but, that some of the members of the Police at Cinnamon Gardens Police station have their sons attending Royal College and have therefore chosen to “hush” this matter up. I am curious to know if there is any documentation to show if the authorities at Royal College, the hospital authorities, or the doctor dealing with this patient will show that this serious matter has been dealt with appropriately.

I also wonder if the mother of the victim, who sent a desperate e-mail when this assault took place, is satisfied with the manner in which this incident has been dealt with.

I also wonder if the authorities of the other schools who play against the Royal College rugby squad, are aware of this incident and accept that this thug should be playing against them.

This incident, as well as the many other misdemeanours prevalent in Sri Lankan rugby recently, does the wonderful game of rugby a great disservice and this disgusts me.