Women’s rugby in need of backing

Tuesday, 2 September 2014 01:35 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Shamseer Jaleel The Sri Lankan women’s rugby team secured fifth position at the recently concluded Asian Sevens 2014 in Happy Valley, Hong Kong. They also secured the Plate and retained the overall fifth position which they earned last year.

The Sri Lankan team has achieved this success with limited resources and a lack of sponsorship. The team competed with the professional rugby sides in the Asian circuit, such as Japan, Hong Kong and China, where funds are invested in a big way for the upliftment of the game. Though Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) President Asanga Seneviratne has helped the girls in a big way, they are in need of a permanent sponsor. The girls will need more exposure. This was very clearly evident with how they performed on the first day. They settled and re-grouped later on and played an excellent brand of open rugby which a lot of spectators in Hong Kong were praising them for; all with limited overseas exposure. Financial backing is very vital, as women’s rugby can be improved to a new level through upcoming players from rural areas backed by proper funding. The women’s rugby team is also in need of a trainer along with a short and long-term nutrition plan to make the team stronger. Furthermore, the inter-club tournaments should be organised around the country, with a minimum of three to identify the potential in the rural area. With these limited facilities, the former Sri Lanka Winger Chandrishan Perera, Women’s Rugby Chairman Col. Dhammika Gunasekera and Team Manager Warakagoda, have done a wonderful job to bring the girls to this standard in a short time span. Commendations should be given for all the hard work put in by the Commanders of the three Armed Forces, Chairman of the Rugby Committee, Head Coach Chandrishan Perera, and Team Manager Thilanganie Warakagoda for devoting their much valued time towards achieving this feat.