• Asanga and Martis confident of Lanka’s chances

Sports Ministry Director General (DG) of Sports Shemal Fernando, who also functions as the Competent Authority (CA) for Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR), says that the ball is currently in the court of the provincial unions in reference to a much-sought-after resolution to the escalating local rugby crisis. 

He was firmly of the opinion that it was the provincial unions who would need to decide whether rugby in this country was to move forward or become isolated from the rest of the world.

Fernando made this comment addressing reporters at a press conference in Colombo on Wednesday (9) to officially launch the play-off match between hosts Sri Lanka and Malaysia at the Race Course Grounds, Colombo on 19 April. The game has been officially tagged the Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship 2025.

The DG has been embroiled in a legal case brought against him by over six provincial unions for close to one year over the non-staging of the contentious Annual General Meeting (AGM) of SLR since its dissolution by former Sports Minister Harin Fernando.

The SLR Competent Authority said that several rounds of discussions held by the current subject Minister to settle the festering rugby crisis with provincial unions had proved futile to date and that as a result it was now before the Judiciary.

However, Fernando was optimistic that the long-running impasse between the provincial unions and the Sports Ministry could be resolved before a June deadline set forth by World Rugby (WR), the sport’s global ruling body.

Asked what consequences would befall Sri Lanka in case it failed to honour the ultimatum by the Dublin-based institution, the CA said it would then be up to the Government to move in the matter.

The Sports Ministry DG further expressed hope that, following the dawn of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, saner counsel would prevail among the provincial unions and that they would, by the grace of God, take the most appropriate measures for the sake of the game and its players.

Fernando added that if by some chance Sri Lanka was unable to honour the WR deadline, he would still be hopeful that the global arbiter would extend the grace period for another duration.  

Asia Rugby (AR) Executive Committee member Asanga Seneviratne expressed confidence in the Sri Lankan Tuskers being able to overcome their opponents from Kuala Lumpur, as the islanders had been playing competitive domestic rugby since January this year.

“They had fielded Fijians before and we had lost to them,” Seneviratne said. “But I am not so sure that they will field any Fijians this time around and if not, we will certainly win,” he said. 

Seneviratne added that if Sri Lanka were to get the better of the tourists, they would then stand a chance of securing the number four spot in the Asian circuit, whilst joining the likes of Hong Kong, South Korea, and the UAE in a fresh tournament set to kick off in October this year.

The championship winner of that competition is set to guarantee direct qualification for the Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia as the second team from the region, alongside Asia’s premier rugby nation Japan.

However, a noticeable feature at the media briefing was the officials present being unable to convince reporters, in the face of repeated questioning, as to when the final squad would be chosen for the play-off against Malaysia or when the team captain would be announced.

They appeared to be clueless as to how some of the injured seniors such as Tharinda Ratwatte, Adeesha Weerathunga, and Charith Silva could be replaced.

However, veteran Head Coach Sanath Martis, who only appeared at the tail end of the event, sounded far more upbeat than the rest.

“An opposition is an opposition for me,” he rationalised. “They also have two hands and two legs, and so do we. Anything that they could do, so could we. It is as simple as that. That is my philosophy, period.”

Martis remarked that injuries were all part and parcel of the game, but insisted that the home team would front up to their rivals and face the upcoming challenge with whoever was available. 

The coach, who only last year steered Sri Lanka to wins in the Asia Rugby Division 1 against Kazakhstan, Qatar, and India in Colombo, said that as far as the injured players were concerned, the team management would not go beyond medical advice. 

(JK)