The hostile crowd behavior towards referees and unwanted remarks made by spectators both men and women against rival players are creating a detrimental impact on school rugby which if not checked in time could lead to the downfall of the sport. Many referees who blew the game with dedication have had to face critical situations during the season. Today in most of the matches ground arrangements by the host school cause big problems; they only jack up the entrance fee.
The touch judges too should be advised not to go and disturb the referee every time and provoke the spectators. If the referee cannot control a game why is he handling the whistle? In the good old days it was the referee who controlled the game no one interfered. There were incidents in Kandy too, most of the fans say that the people who come for matches are parents of the players who cannot take up defeat.
Very soon the referees society are bound to take a decision to refrain from officiating at rugby matches and demand for better discipline by the spectators which will hold up all school matches.
It is sad that the schools association has not voiced their opinion and not come forward to arrest this situation. After all they are the most benefited by way of funds to the association. They must take a decision to inform all schools that the host team takes total responsibility for the game and tighten up security, failing which face the consequence of being suspended from playing any matches on their home ground and agree to play in a neutral venue as allocated by the association. A similar situation occurred at a club venue and was arrested several years back and since then there has been no problems at all.
The schools second round has commenced but unlike the previous year’s most of the Kandy schools have failed to live upto expectations. Trinity College and Kingswood College are in the Cup segment but the others - St. Anthony’s College, Vidyartha College, Dharmaraja College are in the Plate. St. Sylvester’s College, Sri Sumangala College and Sri Rahula College are playing in the Bowl segment. Of the two games played in the second round Trinity College led by Avishka Shiek have lost to St .Peter’s College and drew with Isipathana College. Their next game is on Sunday with Wesley College at Pallekelle.
Kingswood College led by Tharindu Waligampala who did well in the first round to take fourth place have lost two matches in the second round to Isipathana College and St. Peter’s College. On Saturday they will play Zahira College.
St. Anthony’s College led Kavinda Amarakoon from whom a lot was expected in the first round, lost all the matches and have come down to the Plate segment.
In the second round. they have won both games played against Maliyadeva College and Lumbini College.
Vidyartha College led by T. Deelepa did well in the first round have continued that form into the second round by winning against D.S. Senanayake College. However in the second game they went down badly to Dharmaraja College after leading in the first half. Their next game is against Maliyadeva on Saturday.
Dharmaraja College who are under the captaincy of Bawantha Udangamuwa were the wooden spoonists in the first round after losing all their matches. In the Plate second round match they went down to Science College and in their last outing beat Vidyartha College after trailing behind in the first half. Their next game is against S. Thomas’ College on Saturday.
Sri Sumangala College who are playing big time rugby did their part well in the first round and in the second round beat St. Sylvester’s College in their first game drew with St. Benedict’s College in the second. Their third game is against Ananda College in Colombo.
St.Sylvester’s College led by Randika Pathirana who are playing in the Bowl lost to Sri Sumanagala College but in their last outing beat Richmond College. Their next game is with Mahanama College on Saturday in Colombo.
Sri Rahula College are also in the Bowl segment. In their first round, skipper Gayan Kulatunga’s side did well to win all their four games, but in the second round lost to Piliyandala Central and St. Aloysius College.
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