Roshan Goonetilleke
Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) has ventured on a new program to get as many young rugby players involved in the game, especially after leaving school.
“Some of these top schools rugby players do nothing after leaving school and let their talent waste away.
“They must be given opportunities to continue playing for sustainable development that will come good for the country,” said former Air Force commander Marshal of the Air Force Roshan Goonetilleke who is now the Governor of the Western Province.
Goonetilleke was a flanker playing for a crack Air Force team in the 1980s and his father Harry Goonetilleke who also commanded the flying force was a pioneer of the referees’ society.
“To go further we have to increase participation that will enable us to participate in foreign tournaments such as the Hong Kong Sevens as done before,” he said at a media briefing held on Wednesday at his Western Provincial Council office in Battaramulla.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka Rugby also has plans to conduct tournaments in all nine provinces and they have already indentified several venues in the North and East that are of high quality.
According to rugby officials the venues can be used to conduct tournaments that will catch the eye of senior citizens who could encourage school goers to get involved in the game.
“These tournaments must be open for school leavers and not A division club players who have already made the grade.
“It must be open to all genders and it is only then that we can groom them to become match officials like referees and coaches,” said Goonetilleke.
