Rugby introduced to Jaffna
M Farook Lantra
For the first time in history, rugby was introduced to Jaffna by the
Development Committee of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union SLRFU. This
programme which was a great success took place at the Duraiyappa
Stadium, Jaffna, recently.
The Education Department for the first time had decided to start with
seven sports from 2011. They have included seven sports in the main
curriculum of grade six, said Nalin de Silva (Group Captain Chairman
Rugby Development Committee).
Rugby is also included in the seven sports which is a great asset to
the Rugby Development Committee of SLRFU.
The Union took 60 schoolchildren under 14 of age from Sabaragamuwa
which was divided to four teams out of which two boys teams and two
girls teams were formed with one boys and one girls team.
The main aim is developing rugby at provincial level with the
permission of Education Department. Nalin further said that they are
developing rugby at junior level under 10, 12, 14 and 16. The Education
Department under Mahinda Chinthana ‘Idiri Dakma’, every child has to do
some sports, with the intention of building inter-community relationship
through rugby.
This development programme was launched with the help of the national
coach New Zealander Ellis Meachen, He trained 30 Physical Training
Instructors from schools in Jaffna, which was taught the basic rugby. In
addition to that, two teams were trained from Jaffna and distributed
rugby balls to the PTIs at the end of the training programme.
This training programme was on tag rugby and tackling rugby. The
whole training programme was organized by the Northern Security Forces
under Commander Maj Gen Mahinda Haturusinghe, assisted by Brig Piyal
Wickramaratne, Col Christy Jayasingha, Lt Col Kumudu Waduge and Lt Col
Jayantha Patabandige.
This historic ceremony was attended by Mrs Imalda Sukumar (GA, Jaffna)
and Yogeswari Pathgunaraja (Mayor of Jaffna).
To understand the importance of protecting the environment, trees
were planted by the schoolchildren and PTIs to introduce the sports and
environmental leadership.
The whole programme was looked after by the Army under the patronage
of Maj General Mahinda Hathurusinghe under the civil military social
programme.
The transport for all 60 children from Sabaragamuwa to Jaffna was
provided by Arjun Dharmadasa, former Chairman Development Committee
while the staff transport was provided by H M Gunasekara, Secretary,
Education Department, Rohana Karunaratne, Director of Sports Education
Department and Milroy Jayamanne Project Director.
The whole programme was coordinated by Group Captain Nalin de Silva,
Chairman Rugby Development Committee SLRFU and K S P Karunaratne,
Secretary Sabaragamuwa Rugby Union. |