Rugby coaches puzzled over appointment

YASARATNE GAMAGE

Ronnie Ibrahim and Viraj Prashantha the two former rugby players and coaches expressed their disapproval over the action taken by the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) in appointing the coach for the forthcoming five nations rugby tournament at a press briefing held at Automobile Association auditorium on Wednesday.

They said that the SLFRU informed them via email last December stating they were selected as national coaches for the five nations tourney. We were extremely amazed to see an article on a web site this morning which said that both of us had been expelled from the coaching jobs.

It was further revealed that the SLFRU had offered the job and later cancelled it without showing any reasons or informing us. They emphasized that SLFRU could have negotiated rather than taking one sided decisions which is unacceptable under any circumstances. Ronnie and Viraj recalled how they stood for rugby over the past years and the pains they had to under go to build up a reputation in the field of rugby.

We are not here out of the blues. We have dedicated our entire life for rugby in Sri Lanka. Most of the players in the five nations pool are our trainees.

We two know every nook and corner of their skills and shortcomings. We have been with them for years, so it is easy for us to train them rather than a foreigner who was introduced just a couple of weeks ago, they said.

The duo reiterated that they have no objection of taking the service of a foreign coach but argued that the local coaches possess the same skills. It is obvious that we have our own value, our junior team were in seventh place from 2003 to 2006 which played under a foreign coach but secured the third place from 2007 to 2010 with local coaches.

We even beat Korea in 2009 for the first time in Sri Lankan rugby history. So on what grounds the Rugby Union underestimate us they questioned.

The two also noted that they didn't ask for more money but hoped a better recognition for their skills. Ronnie and Viraj suggested on working out a proper procedure to appoint national coaches.

They also told that they have no grudges with the selected coach but puzzled over his short-term service.

We are confident that our team could do well and wish them all the best they said.