Veteran rugby general, coach and administrator Ana Saranapala rues politics, dishonesty, self-importance and lack of discipline have pushed the sport to a dump like never before:
At a time when rugby in Sri Lanka is at the crossroads with a tug-o-war prevalent between players, officials and other stakeholders, a stalwart of Havelock Sports Club, Ana Saranapala, has lashed out with some golden advice to resurrect the sport which he says is in the doldrums. The Covid-19 pandemic may have brought the game to a standstill but it is not the only reason for the steady decline in standards and political interference in rugby.
As Sri Lanka prepares to take part in the Asian Rugby Sevens, a tournament which doubles as the Asian Qualifier for the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022, there are more questions than answers as Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) grapples with burning issues which have strangled the sport.
In the past there have been instances where club politics prevailed over national interest but it is the reverse scenario in this case with the absence of Kandy SC and CR and FC in the Warriors Cup inter-club Sevens forfeiting the chances of some of the best Sevens players including Sri Lanka skipper Dansha Dayan from being selected to the national team for the Dubai event.
It all boils down to a lack of unity and erosion of discipline in the fabric of Sri Lanka rugby, according to Saranapala, who is appalled with the state of the game at his beloved club and at national level.
“We are all talking about the standard of rugby going down and all that. In the first place to gain success, we need to have unity. You just take a household. If the husband and wife are together, children are together, education goes beautifully. If the husband and wife start fighting, children go astray,” he said.
“Likewise, take a working place, if you are a director, you must set an example and build unity. If one is against the other, nothing in life works in my opinion. Let it be sports, office, house, anywhere in the country, if you are not united you can’t expect success,” said the 76-year-old Saranapala who is undoubtedly an elder statesman of Sri Lanka rugby.
Unity and discipline were the key words he reiterated during a wide-ranging interview with the Sunday Observer while stressing the need for people who have put their heart and soul during their playing days and men of integrity to be tasked with running rugby in the country.
“I don’t know why we turn a blind eye to a lot of things. That is the reason that we cannot achieve what we achieved in past. We come to a certain level and stop. There is something wrong somewhere,” he said.
“You must have knowledgeable people who can take this upfront. There are so many sectors that we have to improve.
“Firstly, get a strong team of knowledgeable players who have represented Sri Lanka to the selection committee. They could be ex-coaches, coaches or brilliant players.
“Secondly, when choosing a (foreign) trainer, see whether he has really come here to put his heart and soul and work like George (Simpkin). What he did was great. I hope we can get another George.
“Thirdly, the Referees Society is the most important thing for me. What happens is if there are seven referees, they blow in seven different ways. When you query them, they get annoyed sometimes and they have some excuse to give.
“I used to tell them ‘look here I have touched the whistle long before you were born’. I have seen people like Denzil Kobbekaduwa, Brian Mills, Darley Ingleton and Malcolm Wright. We had class referees. This is exactly how our game improved. They didn’t have personal interests. They had one interest -- towards the game. All the referees were very strict and very honest.
“Referees have to be very firm and blow according to the correct rules and regulations. If there are 10 referees in Sri Lanka, they should blow the same way. I can stand on my head and say they are not doing it. Why do you think there is crowd unrest here? What is the reason? You must educate the public on TV so they don’t blame the referee. We have seminars but referees come and do something else.
“When it comes to the national level, that’s another issue. It doesn’t matter whether you play for KV (Kelani Valley) or Dimbulla or CH or Kandy, it’s the nation we are thinking of. It’s a squad we are choosing for the nation. It doesn’t matter what club you play. The best may have not been selected.
“When you choose somebody to the selection committee, he should be of some repute, who has done a lot for this country, someone who has played his heart out, shed blood and sweated. You must have somebody who has gone through this,” said Saranapala who has seen it all as a player, coach and selector.
“I can still remember the Dimbulla match at Havelocks. They gave an inside pass. I came in-between and got hammered by a Dimbulla three-quarter. I was winded, I just couldn’t breathe. I still remember that. That’s the kind of thing we have gone through.
“To make a solid, quality side, we must have players from all clubs. We have to find out why they are not playing. What is the reason? Why have they not been considered.
“If you want Sri Lanka to do well in rugby, forget petty differences. Get the best players, it doesn’t matter which club. It has happened in the past because of political club interest. Petty differences must be thrown out of the window when it comes to national interest.
“I can be Havelocks but that doesn’t matter. When I was the coach, people were asking why didn’t you take those three guys from Havelocks. I said, no. Why should I take when there is a selection committee. They choose the best players. Probably he is not good enough to come and play for Sri Lanka. That’s why they have left these guys out,” he said.
On the issue of players withdrawing in the past, putting club loyalty before national interest, Saranapala said: “It is left to the selection committee to choose the players. Forget about club politics. You are representing your country. When you set foot on the field, you are wearing the Sri Lanka jersey, said Saranapala.
As an example, he related how much his Havelocks team mates who went on to play for Sri Lanka treasured the jersey. “Those days how much did they fight to get that jersey for the sake of the country. That’s the way you should play. That should be the attitude. Otherwise you are useless. It will be just going on a fun trip,” said the former Isipathana and Havelocks three-quarter.
He was fortunate to have worked with Hong Kong’s George Simpkin, Ajith Abeyratne and Anton Benedict as national coach. “George was very good in tactics and preparation of the game. Ajith assisted. When it came to selections it was mine. I was a coach. Dr Maiya Gunasekera said ‘if anything goes wrong Ana will get the blame’. I can smell when somebody is playing well or not,” he said, giving an example of unity.
Saranapala lamented the fact that Havelocks rugby had hit rock bottom as evidenced by their performance in the inter-club Sevens. “Whenever I have been here, we have won the Sevens. We have never been out of a final. It’s a total disgrace to the club. If we are unable to field a proper Sevens squad due to lack of practices or things like that, we should not field a side. We tell officials nicely that we are not prepared. Havelocks is not a yesterday-club. It is more than 100 years old. To get thrashed by all these sides and to settle for the Shield, is it worthwhile,” said Saranapala who valued the services of Havelock’s coach Sanath Martis but warned this could also be his downfall.
As someone who has shed blood, sweat and tears and is steadfastly loyal to the club despite being domiciled in the UK for six months of the year, Saranapala has always provided his expertise whenever the club needed his services.
“When I walked into Havelocks one day three years ago, the president of the club at the time told me ‘Saranapala please come and see them. We are losing to all these weak sides’. I said ‘OK, I can’t be coaching. Let me advise and see what you need. Let me see whether the material we had is good’,” he recalled.
He gave a candid assessment whether they were getting value for money since they were coughing 25 to 30 million rupees each season.
“It’s a lot of money. It’s like in a workplace. If I get a team manager and if he doesn’t work, I will report him to the chairman and say ‘look he is useless’,” said Saranapala who has been a tea taster for nearly five decades.
The lack of discipline has also given Saranapala the shock of his life unable to come to grips with a breakdown in almost all areas of the sport from top to bottom. “I have seen, for example practice starts at 5 pm but some players troop in even at 5.30 and the coach comes 45 minutes late. The players are just on the ground picking the grass and just cleaning their teeth. I was thinking to myself what on earth has become of our country. Never mind other clubs, but at Havelocks,” he exclaimed.
“During our time (coach) Larry Foenander says 5 pm and if you are not there, they won’t even consider you to come and play a practice game. He will chase you out,” Saranapala recalled, relating an incident where one of his team mates wasn’t allowed to train because he came late despite having scored seven tries in a match the previous day. A stickler for discipline, Saranapala gave a damning report telling the players where they belonged.
“I told the president (of Havekocks) this is rubbish. Havelocks must be very rich to pay money like this to people to come and eat grass and just clean their teeth. This is ridiculous. I have never in my life seen anything like this,” said Saranapala who told off the squad in no uncertain terms.
“I said ‘I don’t know your names but I can pinpoint and say you did this against Kandy Sports Club you did this against Police. Now if you are going to play rugby like the way you want to and not according to the coach’s plan, it’s no point wasting your time. “I am telling you as a senior member I know there are six players who are not able to budge an inch and play rugby. They are coming for fun. I have been given the authority to tell you there are two or three entrances, you can go now. Don’t hang on one moment here, take your boots now and go. Don’t wait,” he said. Saranapala has led by example being the first on the field for practice which has rubbed into others.
“The last time when I came here three years ago it was as chairman of the advisory committee. I am here before the coaches, before the players. Of course, I am retired and can come since I am close by. But you must show them I am here. I am here at 4.50 pm. People who came at 5.30 now come at 4.30. Before you discipline others, discipline yourself. You can’t do wrong things and tell other people to do the right thing,” said Saranapala who is a life member and vice patron of the club.
He may belong to the old school but acknowledged they have to keep pace with the times. “Times have changed. You have to accept that but that is the worst thing that could happen to our rugby because times have changed. That means we have become professional the world over. You can’t argue with that,” he said.
However, Saranapala lambasted players changing clubs every year and urged Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) to bring in regulations like in the British Premier League.
“They have a solid rule. The Union (SLR) should get involved. We need to have a solid structure from head to toe,” he said.
Financial considerations have also undermined the quality of rugby dished out, according to Saranapala.
“Love for the game reduces when you are financially hooked on money. First of all, you are worried about the amount of money, not how you become a good quality player, not how you are going to perform against China or Japan. Your mind is somewhere else. It appears now that the option for players is finance. I want so much, otherwise I won’t join the club.
“Can you imagine Mohan Sahayam leaving CR, Glen (Van Langenberg), Jeff or Dan Rutnam going to some other place. No! They had some quality in them. Even if you pay, will they ever do that,” asked Saranapala.
“We were ashamed to lose. Ashamed to play just Sunday rugby or off-hand rugby. We were trained to play quality rugby. Most important thing is when you wear a jersey, you are considered a Havelocks player right round the area. You don’t want to demean yourself by under-performing or becoming a misfit in the side. Your first option is to become a quality rugger player. There was no money involved then,” he lamented.
“Today what has happened is that if you don’t get money, you don’t play.”
Asked about his future plans, Saranapala said he has nothing to hide. “As long as I’m in Sri Lanka, if my club comes to me and says ‘please advise and help’, I will do. I must honestly say that I am not here for six months,” said Saranapala who is in Sri Lanka for the winter break from November till March.