Schools rugby, the only sport in the country that was free of politics and widespread corruption apart from the occasional bouts of crowd violence, has been taken apart by its keepers the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) which has decided to not only force teams to play their matches away from home but also compel players to come under more demanding situations by playing the second round matches in a knock-out format or ‘game of death’.
Without any justification to shifting the goal posts from a League format that schools have adhered to without complaints over the past so many years, the SLSRA has revealed its overwhelming ignorance by communicating to competing schools that the change in format from League to knock-outs is being designed to provide what it calls “fair and improved experiences” while claiming support from “some member schools” that they don’t name.
“Taking into consideration the requests made by some member schools the SLSRFA wishes to communicate the development of decisions made to enhance the quality of the tournament and provide a fair and improved experience for the participating schools and stakeholders.
“Super round matches will be held at neutral venues ensuring impartiality and fairness”, the SLSRFA has in a letter conveyed to competing schools.
But officials of the country’s well acclaimed rugby playing schools told the Sunday Observer they will neither bite into nor buy such a dispute-ridden and frivolous argument made by the SLSRFA.
The letter implies that schools like Royal College, St. Peter’s College, Trinity College, S. Thomas’ College and Zahira College will have to disregard their own home grounds and pay other venues to host their second round or Super Round matches should they qualify.
The letter also states that the SLSRFA will provide hosting schools with only a percentage of the gate money after settling other expenses incurred by them (SLSRFA) in conducting the matches at neutral venues.
But the top crowd-pulling rugby schools allege the move to play the Super Round matches at so-called neutral grounds amounts to a rip-off of the income they rake in by managing their own funds through gate money and deals struck with corporate sponsors whose Services and Products are marketed at their home venues during matches in corners of their (sponsor’s) choice.
Last year proved to be one of the most profitable seasons for teams in the schools rugby arena without the interference of the SLSRFA as the deciding match in the second round that continued in the same league format between host team St. Peter’s College and Isipathana College drew an estimated 15,000 ticket-buying spectators at the Bambalapitiya venue to the point that riot police, water cannons and even the Special Task Force was put on stand-by.
One of the schools that has protested is Isipathana College which does not need the SLSRFA to tell them about “quality” as their rugby team has throughout the years contested the League and produced high octane action for spectators who pay thereby justifying their entitlement to well earned gate money not meant for outside management.
It is a well known fact that some schools invest up to Rs. 60 million for a four-month season according to current demands and the figures likely to rise.
Royal College has in a hard-hitting response to the SLSRFA warned that any move to discourage corporate sponsors could have a detrimental effect on the overall promotion of the sport island-wide and playing the second round or Super Round games in a knock-out format can mean a “less deserving team” winning the Title against an unbeaten team on the day over some dubious act.
