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by Dinesh Weerawansa

The delay in appointing Sri Lanka national coach for the rugby union Test team and the differences of opinion between national selectors and the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) have badly affected Sri Lanka's preparations for the forthcoming IRB Asian Quadrangular tournament and Hong Kong International Sevens.

The SLRFU recently requested the National selection committee to name a fresh Sri Lanka national pool in preparations for the IRB Asian Quadrangular tournament, which also features Japan, Hong Kong and Arabian Gulf in the same group. But the national selectors wrote back to the SLRFU, asking them for an assurance from the respective clubs that the players whom they nominate to Sri Lanka pool would definitely be available for national duty, irrespective of their club training schedules.

The National selection committee, comprises Group Captain Tikiri Marambe (chairman), Brian Baptist, Ravi Wijenathan, Saman Jayasinghe, Brigadier Japuna Jayawardana and Hemantha Yatawara, made the right decision in asking the union to get an availability assurance from clubs to avoid problems faced last year where some players showed loyalty to their clubs rather than the country and also few clubs refusing to release players for the national pool training.

However, the SLRFU has once again written to the national selectors virtually turning down their request and had asked them to nominate a larger pool without getting an assurance on players availability from clubs at the beginning.

The SLRFU reportedly reluctant to put pressure on clubs to get assurances of availability on the players whom they nominate. But Marambe and his team has strongly recommended to follow their guidelines for the betterment of Sri Lanka rugby and to see smooth functioning of national pool's preparations for the IRB Asian Quadrangular from March to May this year and also for the Hong Kong International Sevens on March 29 and 30.

Instead of naming a pool of about 60, the selectors have recommended a pool of around 35 to 40 players to give proper training with a vision for future to pull out Sri Lanka rugby out of crisis.

Among the other recommendations are welfare of selected national poolists, proper training facilities, appointment of suitable national coach, proper training schedule for the national team considering the entire international rugby calendar for each year, proper planing for time tables of domestic tournaments considering international commitments of the national poolists.

The selectors originally replied to the SLRFU asking them to get nominations for the national pool from respective clubs before February to form a pool of around 35 to 40 players immediately. But with the latest letter to the selectors from the SLRFU, it is likely that the commencement of local preparations would be delayed further. Even if the pool is picked, the SLRFU is yet to appoint a national coach for the Sri Lanka 15-a-side national team.

C. P. Abegoonawardena stepped down as the national rugby union Test team after the Asian Games debacle in Busan, South Korea last October and for the two World Cup qualifiers, which followed, Tony Amit was appointed on a temporary basis. But since then, the SLRFU has totally forgotten important commitments ahead in failing to even to make an initial study to name a new national coach.

The SLRFU President Commander Harsha Mayadunne, when contacted, said the matter would now be discussed at the next council meeting scheduled for Friday. "We will take the matter up this weekend. If the council certifies, we could make the appointment on the same day," he said. Asked the cause for the delay in naming a new national coach, the outgoing Sri Lanka rugby chief said that they thought it is better for the new council, which is to be appointed at next month's SLRFU AGM, to take the matter of appointing the national coach to suit their vision and future program.

Among the names likely to be considered for the post of national coach are Tony Amit, Ana Saranapala and Asanga Seneviratne. "We have George Simpkin as the technical advisor and even could regain the services of Laga if he is available," the SLRFU boss said. He said former national coach Ana Saranapala has indicated his willingness to offer his services to the national team once again, if requested.

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