Rugby resumption delayed due to vaccine issues? Sports Ministry rejects rugby squad

By Harsha Amarasinghe

The Ministry of Sports has rejected a national rugby squad put forward by Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) which will force them to organize a domestic 7’s rugby tournament within the next two months.

Daily Mirror learns that SLR has named a 20-member squad and submitted it to the Ministry of Sports in an attempt to receive funds for a bio-secure bubble and other expenses. However, certain players named in the squad are understood to be playing rugby abroad or have retired from the game which has given the Ministry no choice but to reject it.

On the other hand, Asia Rugby (AR) last week announced their plans to start all forms of rugby in September. A source close to AR told Daily Mirror that the final decision on this will be made at a meeting set to be held next week. It is however, possible that they get the ball rolling by at least October.

This has given SLR very little time to finalize their squads. Having missed the opportunity to host the second leg and third leg of Asia Rugby Seven Series, SLR will be desperate to at least ensure its team takes part in the said tournament which too, as it stands, looks a pretty tall order.

A source close to SLR revealed that they are considering two options to finalize a squad -- one of it being the hosting of a domestic 7’s rugby tournament. This however, would require loads of funds and Daily Mirror understands that the organizers could run into problems with lack of available vaccines which could be allocated for sports in Sri Lanka.

In the case of no domestic tournament from now to September, SLR are likely to consider inviting all the players to take part in fitness tests conducted independently by the Ministry of Sports, and based on the physical levels of the players and performance in possible trials would provide selectors with sufficient information to select a squad.