SLRFU gets tough!

• Chief Asanga Seneviratne says players who refuse to represent national team could face ban
• Insists paradigm shift taking place in rugby to put country on international map

By Uditha Jayasinghe

Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) yesterday took a tough stand against those who refuse to play for the national team warning they could face a ban.

Players who deny being part of the National Team will not be allowed to participate in local rugby, SLRFU President Asanga Seneviratne said yesterday, insisting that a paradigm shift was taking place to put the country on the international map.

Coach Phil Greening, National Rugby Captain Yoshitha Rajapaksa,Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union President Asanga Seneviratne

He said that players who skipped the recent Philippines tour of the Asian Five nations Division One Championship will be put to a disciplinary committee said Seneviratne adding that action would be taken as the National Team was top priority.

“How we discipline is important and if someone does not play for their country, then they cannot play at all – local or foreign. This is the decision of the union,” added Seneviratne. However, he said that they would first be given a warning and if left unheeded, they would be banned from local games.  

Focusing on the future, Seneviratne said “We are drawing up a format to put Sri Lanka at the top of Asia. The next step is for them to play in Borneo and Shanghai for the qualifiers of the Hong Kong Sevens.”

He said that new coach Phil Greening who has been enlisted for two years will return in August to begin this leg.

Greening was warm in his praise for the team, union and capacity of Sri Lanka. “There is huge potential to take Sri Lanka forward. The team mentally developed in the four to five weeks together and it was a great eye-opener for the players. We’re very proud of what was accomplished but disappointed that we didn’t win because we had a team that could have done it.” He termed it as a “gigantic step” forward for both players and union.

Greening went on to say that it was possible for Sri Lanka to be among the top five Asian rugby nations. He spoke of the need to educate clubs and other stakeholders to train players to become top performers.

Sri Lanka lost for the Philippines 28-18 and failed to qualify for Asian Five though will remain in Division 1.

The Coach praised Captain Yoshitha Rajapaksa and insisted that the next step was to create a legacy so that young players are “conveyor belted” to perform rugby at the top level.

One-on-one appraisals begin next week so that players are more aware of their performance levels and a system is being built that will filter through the clubs and schools, ensuring that rugby will have no shortage of quality players.

The union is also establishing an analyst unit that will monitor all statistical information from top club and school matches. “This information will be made available to every coach so that he will have a clear idea about the progress made and what needs to be changed. This will be on the same level as statistics compiled by other countries,” Seneviratne said.

Individual mistakes by players were what cost the team their final, noted the coach, pointing out that playing tests was one of the aspects that local players would have to learn. Three tests in one week was also a “massive ask from the boys” Phil remarked, stressing that off season training and preparation was also on the cards.

Rajapaksa praised his team and insisted that they would continue to get better as the national team was composed of young players hungry for experience.

 Pix by Upul Abayasekera