Hambantota Sharks is the latest club pitted to compete in the club’s top league. The club consists mainly of players from the outstations and has been formed under the patronage of His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapakse. ThePapare rendezvoused with the club authorities to find out more.
Excepts of their media release of the club launch explains “Sport like rugby builds character, helps one work as a team and opens many opportunities to youth lacking direction, so it is with this motive that the launch of the Hambantota sharks took place. This is the vision and brain child of Honourable MP Namal Rajapakse former victorious captain of the Thomian side of 2005 currently representing the national side, his dream is to make the Hambantota city a sports arena which would help the rural youth with a football ground, athletic pitch and a rugby stadium which can hold a combined capacity of 100,000 spectators which has never been seen in this country.
This club will be managed by Johann Fernando as President of the Club and former captain of the Thomian side of 2007. The club will be coached by Nihal “Viper ”Gunaratna Former St. Anthony’s College, Kandy Sports Club and Sri Lanka ‘granite hard’ flanker , a veteran rugby player of his time and the first IRB qualified coach educator in Sri Lanka has been given the yeomen task of mentoring the boys who will go on to represent the sharks.
The sharks hope to recruit some of the finest players of the game and make a grand entry into the A division league by playing some good rugby , and endeavor to bring in some southern flavor to the rugby arena we ask that all your support and good wishes be with us.”
In our chats with legendary Viper Gunaratna we found out that the main focus is on making rugby a profession by providing all the required facilities to sportspersons. Though the recruitments will be from outstation areas the practices will be in Colombo, where the club is looking forward to providing the players with basic necessities such as travelling allowances, accommodation facilities and other supplies for sport training. Later on the club will also feature permanent jobs and nourish the players to focus on the sport even more. At present it provides facilities for almost thirty outstation players, from Kandy, Galle and Matara, who are attending practices. This program will be rectified to accommodate more players as the club gains more facilities –hostels, gymnasiums, computer facilities, libraries etc – which will then hold teaching programs and professional development programs to support their personal needs.
Since many of the outstation areas do not have a solid approach to the game, the Hambantota Sharks believe they will face lot of difficulties in establishing the game, but it’s unavoidable because the goal of the club is to build up opportunities. Under the patronage of the president, the club is looking forward to build up a rugby tradition all over the country. “We have witnessed many cricketers from outstation areas turning out to be tremendously successful and this will be the platform we’ll focus on” explains the director of coaching.
While focusing on embracing the sport locally, in order to gain expertise the club will house international players as well. “It’s a venture, but we are ready to accept the challenge” said Mr Gunaratna remarking on the upcoming tasks. The sharks will be looking forward to have best conditioning for the players. It foresees being fit as a mandatory feature when battling against high-ranking clubs : Kandy, Havelock’s etc . This will be helped through the in-house gym. At present the coaches are on to pre-season training(cardio, muscle gains) and down to approximately 10 sessions.
At the start the club will feature many players who represented the Under19 Sri Lankan team. In addition 5-6 national team players are to join the club in the future. With this gear the club will be battling in the A division with goal of becoming one of the top four clubs in Sri Lanka within this year. Having to fight off tough clubs with strong histories, the ‘Hambantota Sharks’ are motivated by the competition they will be facing.
As per the long term objectives of the club, it is convinced rugby will be recognized in Hambantota and the South in the coming years, when the club hopes to establish its partner training programmes in Hambantota itself. It is also notable that the club agenda will be parallel to infrastructure development scheduled by Parliamentarian Namal Rajapakasha. This is a combined effort to appoint rugby coaches to outstation schools, specifically in the south, to build up the sport in a school level where they will reach club standards in a couple of years. This is also to enhance national standards in rugby.
Financial backing for now is provided by Mr. and Mrs Johnston Fernado and Namal Rajapasha. As the establishment takes place the club will look forward to the assistance of public investors. Notable are the generous donations that have been made by Adventure Travels who had donated an immense 5 million rupees. The establishment of the club is to take place once the Hambantota sports complex is constructed and the club practices will be shifted there.
Citing how popularity has contributed to cricket to meet international standards, Hambantota Sharks believe that they will also be able contribute to the national Tuskers pool immensely by popularizing the game in outstation areas.” Rugby is a game which needs fewer resources than cricket –it can be played with just a coconut as the ball. So it will be an enjoyable leisure time activity for many of the villagers. This is another approach which the club is going to focus on in order to gain talented players to the squad from rural areas” states Mr Gunaratna
Rugby builds a lot of discipline. Always following the motto ‘rugby is a barbarian’s game played by gentlemen’ sharks are looking forward outshine by instilling tough regulations and corrective measures among players. Hamabantota Sharks will be building up lot of competition for the leading clubs as they recruit seniors to their clubs from the former club circuit. They are convinced this will build many opportunities for the youngsters with more resources to meet better standards of the game.
Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksha will be overseeing the club activities as a patron and a financial bearer but will continue to represent Navy regardless of his involvement in Hambantota Sharks. His concept includes exercising techniques used by countries like Fiji in the sport and flowing rugby.
Having a final look at the club profile Hambantota Sharks will strike as a new trend to outstation rugby. The goals, the training patterns, recruitments all support the idea Sharks are about to prove how strong rustic rugby can be.
