SLRFU faces a financial drought , but a few faithful keep the home fires burning.

Brian Thomas. Reporting for SriLankasports.com

Sadly, Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union is not cash rich to pay the national players ,what our cricketing heroes enjoy monetarily.

The 1996 World Cup won, and subsequent series wins against World class teams in the big stage , filled the SLC coffers with rich dividends.

Unfortunately, our rugby stalwarts do not fall into the world category to attract global sponsors. Hence, let us spare a thought for SLRFU.

Cricketing heroes from Sri Lanka also get money in abundance for product endorsement, whilst Sri Lanka Rugby players don’t have that opportunity.

Guess whatever SLRFU source from the world body might not be enough to meet both ends. This is what I speculate. it’s my opinion.

I read the payments the national players received as match fees for the New Zealand series . In all honesty, it’s an appaling figure.

I read an interesting article that affluent institutions, namely Royal , Trinity, St Thomas’s, and even St Peters, who have produced excellent players at the school level, have only a handful that represented the counrty , with limited coaching staff , referees and corporate administrators.

Isipathana stands tall with so many representing the country by pursuing rugby as a career, producing coaching staff with high demand, and even men to blow the whistle known as the a thankless job infested with couch critics.

Sanath Martis and his resignation as the national coach has raised many eyebrows. The big question ? Is the resignation on principle, or is it due to financial strain? The former and the latter are fair calls.

The Gospel states a man must be paid his wages. None of the couch critics know his actual financial obligations and commitments. He depends probably only on this seasonal salary. Let us not come to a conclusion without knowing facts.

I remember when I was at Sri Lanka cricket. We went through a terrible financial crisis during the 2011 World Cup due to no fault of ours but a political demand.

My Chairman, D.S. de Silva told us in life that the darkest hours of the day are before dawn.

So, SLRFU and players, I conclude with poetic thought. I learnt this rugby song at Trinity.

On the ball on the ball, with scrum, and three quarters, and all, let’s kick on together and keep on the leather and shout as we go on the ball.

Remember, this rugby song from New Zealand that states life is a thing that you can not get through without many a kick and a blow.

So, SLRFU , take the kicks, take the blow , and let the couch critics opinianise, but as administrators, let rugby be the ultimate winner, with no human agenda.