Sports

Are rugby players cracking up under the rigours of heavy training?

Published

4 years ago

2022/02/23

by a Special Sports Correspondent

Former rugby player and now a coach and strength and conditioning professional Bilal Yusuf is concerned about the quantum of training done by both school and club rugby players.

It is no wonder that players today are taxed more than their systems can take. The reason, according to Yusuf, could be because these players are following a professional training routine in an amateur system.

Gone are the days when hordes of ex-schoolboy players, just out of school, awaited their turn to play club rugby. Very few among these school leavers walked in straight to the club sides of yesteryear because there was a gap between club and school rugby; in terms of the capacity needed to play senior rugby. But now the training load is basically the same for both club and school players.

And as how Yusuf sees it the players are being over trained. “The present training regimes are extremely demanding on the players. Players are training five days of the week and sessions are held twice a day. At the end of the season there is mental and physical fatigue,” said Yusuf who has also had stints both as a school and club rugby coach and also as the junior national coach for the under 20 Asian Championship. At present, he is a strength and conditioning coach for Sri Lanka Tennis.

There have been occasions where even some of the foreign coaches who have undertaken assignments at local rugby clubs having cautioned that the Sri Lankan players are trying too hard. The game has changed over the years and become more physical and the coaches now demand that their chargers pack on the pounds and spend more time in the gymnasium.

Yusuf sees the present system being counterproductive. “Sometimes doing more might make the players mentally tougher, but certainly it would not do good for the game,” he said. According to him rugby clubs around the world, where the players are not professionals, get their players to train twice a week (Tuesday and Thursday) with a game on Saturday.

But here in Sri Lanka players have to hit the gym in the morning, then shower and go to work and comeback in the evening for rugby practices. Even the sleep they get might not be sufficient. “This is a vicious circle and clubs might not be able to sustain the players in this manner,” opined Yusuf.

But a side like Kandy Sport Club could be an exception because the players are professionals and don’t really have to work, so after the morning training they ideally get to have nap and take a rest. When they comeback for training in the evening their batteries are recharged.

However, club rugby coaches and administrators might not listen to the views of a rugby coach cum trainer like Yusuf because the demands on the coach are high. Most coaches are desperate to hold on to their jobs, so they tax the players to the hilt. Yusuf cautions that school rugby players might be training more than club rugby players, hence the former might be close to total burnout when a season nears an end. We also hear of stories where the schoolboy players in their final year of rugby are skipping the GCE A Level Exam because the demands of rugby training don’t allow these players to balance sport and studies. “The problem with the system is that we might not be grooming these players to balance sport, family and life. The joys of a coach is to see them play top level rugby and when you bump into them in latter years to see them having turned out to be happy and responsible citizens,” said Yusuf.

The taking of supplements in rugby is part and parcel of the game. But some players are becoming too big too soon. “Sometimes the mass they are gaining is unbelievable; which makes us wonder whether these supplements that are given to them contain any illegal substance. The supplement taking of players must be properly monitored. We have enough doubts to suspect that some of these supplements may have performance-enhancing substances,” he said.

Insecure coaches can poison a system and make the players believe that more training is good, when the opposite is true. But there is also another issue regarding the psyche of the players. The majority of schoolboy players who have the brains and capacity to study and make good progress in life give up the sport and concentrate on higher education. The sad part of the equation is that the players who are not academics continue with rugby hence this would mean that ones who are playing club rugby might not be able to think for themselves and can be manipulated. But Yusuf cautioned by saying, “Even if you know that a certain way of eating and training is harmful you just have to follow the demands of the coach because rugby is a team sport and you are not playing for yourself”.

Yusuf concluded the interview by quoting what a foreign coach once gave as his response when someone asked whether he considers himself having done his job properly and having given something back to the game. “This coach said come and meet me in ten years time and ask me how my players are doing and whether they have become better human beings. And if they have then I think I could be considered a successful coach,” concluded Yusuf.

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Sports

111st Colombo Championships begin today‎

Published

3 mins ago

2026/06/19

Thilina Walpola

Janaka Fonseka, Managing Director, Vision Care, Sriya Munasinghe, President (SLTA Playing Section ), Prasantha Dissanayake (Captain SLTA Playing Section), and officials from SLTA and and Vision Care pose to mark the Vision Care sponsorship

The Vision Care 111st Colombo Tennis Championships 2026 will begin today at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) clay courts in Colombo with a record number of entries and the biggest prize fund in the tournament’s history worth Rs. 3 million, officials announced at a press conference.

‎The prestigious three-week championship, one of Sri Lanka’s oldest and most respected ‘A’ Grade tournaments, is expected to bring together the country’s leading players while providing a major stage for emerging talent from across the island.

‎SLTA Playing Section President Sriya Munasinghe said the tournament continues to play a key role in developing local tennis and helping young players progress to higher levels.

‎”This is one of the oldest ‘A’ Grade tournaments in Sri Lanka. We are honoured to host it once again on our six clay courts, especially with a record number of entries this year,” Munasinghe said.

‎He said the championship offers valuable opportunities for players from all regions, including Ampara and Matara, and helps identify future stars of Sri Lankan tennis.

‎SLTA Playing Section Captain Prashanth Dissanayake said the governing body aims to raise the standard of the competition through greater investment and long-term development plans.

‎”Last year we offered Rs. 2.5 million in prize money, and this year the prize fund has increased significantly. We believe greater investment will raise the standard of competition and strengthen Sri Lankan tennis,” Dissanayake said.

‎He revealed plans to eventually transform the event into a major South Asian tournament under the name “Colombo Open”.

‎”We dream of this becoming the Colombo Open, attracting the best players from South Asia. This is not only about tennis but also about building a sporting identity for Sri Lanka,” he said.

‎The tournament will feature Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Junior Singles and Doubles from Under-12 to Under-18 age groups, as well as several Senior events for players over 35 years.

‎Vision Care will continue as the title sponsor for the 12th successive year, highlighting its long-standing commitment to Sri Lankan tennis.

‎Vision Care Optical Services Managing Director Janaka Fonseka said the company was proud to continue supporting the championship and promoting healthy lifestyles through sport.

‎”We believe sport is vital for the health of the nation and are proud to continue supporting the Colombo Championships,” Fonseka said.

‎Wilson will be the Official Ball Partner.

Sports

Thabrew emulates Tharanga to reach qualifying standards for World Junior Championships

Published

3 mins ago

2026/06/19

Thilina Walpola

Themiya Thabrew

With Sri Lankan javelin sensation Rumesh Tharanga continuing to make headlines through his record-breaking performances on the international stage, his success is already inspiring the next generation of throwers at home.

‎At the Junior National Athletics Championship, Lyceum International School, Wattala athlete Themiya Thabrew took a significant step towards emulating his illustrious compatriot by achieving the qualifying standard for the World Junior Athletics Championships.

‎Competing in the Under-20 boys’ javelin throw, Thabrew produced a meet record throw of 69.85 metres, surpassing the World Junior Championship qualifying standard of 68.50 metres for the championship to be held in Oregon, USA.

‎Thabrew’s achievement comes at a time when Sri Lankan athletics is enjoying unprecedented success in the javelin throw, spearheaded by Tharanga’s remarkable rise on the world stage. The youngster’s performance highlighted the positive influence of having a world-class athlete setting new benchmarks for the sport in Sri Lanka.

‎As Tharanga continues to rewrite the record books internationally, athletes such as Thabrew are demonstrating that the future of Sri Lankan javelin throwing remains bright.

‎Incidentally, Tharanga earned his first major global recognition when he finished seventh at the World Junior Championships in Cali, Colombia, in 2022 with a throw of 69.98 metres, which established a new national junior record. Thabrew’s mark of 69.85 metres at the Junior National Championship has brought him within touching distance of that record.

‎In 2022, Tharanga and several other Sri Lankan athletes faced severe financial constraints before eventually making the journey to Cali. As Thabrew and other athletes who have achieved qualifying standards prepare for future international assignments, it is hoped they will receive the recognition and support necessary to represent the country on the world stage.

by Reemus Fernando

Sports

Chetana Vimukthi – a star in the making

Published

3 mins ago

2026/06/19

Thilina Walpola

Chetana Vimukthi

In recent years, much of the conversation around Sri Lanka’s fast bowling has centred on bowlers with slingy actions. The men’s national team has quite a few, the Under-19 side boasts several more and the women’s team is no different. Ever since Lasith Malinga revolutionised pace bowling, many young quicks have sought to emulate him. Such has been his influence that bowlers with classical actions have become something of a rarity.

Which is why Chetana Vimukthi stands out.

The 24-year-old, currently in England with Sri Lanka’s Women’s team for the ICC T20 World Cup, remains relatively unknown, but she has all the ingredients to become the next big thing in women’s cricket.

Hailing from the remote village of Buttala in the Monaragala District, Chetana was identified by Sri Lanka Cricket’s district coaches and the pace she has generated in training has left the coaching staff impressed.

It is not just raw speed that catches the eye. Chetana possesses excellent control, a smooth, uncomplicated action and a superb follow through. The manner in which she sets batters up and uses the short ball sparingly suggests a sharp cricketing brain to go with her skill set.

For years, Sri Lanka Women relied heavily on spin. But since Jamie Siddons took over as head coach, there has been a conscious effort to develop pace options as well and that shift has opened the door for Chetana.

Still new to the system, she has yet to feature in a game at this World Cup and is currently playing more of a reserve role. But her time will come, and when it does, she has the ability to make a significant impact.

Sri Lanka arrived in Bristol on Wednesday after their stunning victory over defending champions New Zealand, a result that all but ended the White Ferns’ semi-final hopes.

The team trained in Bristol on Thursday morning and will spend the next week in the city, with two matches scheduled there. Of those, Sunday’s clash against West Indies is crucial. A victory would go a long way towards securing a place in the semi-finals.

Sri Lanka toured the Caribbean earlier this year and defeated the West Indies in their own backyard, a memory that should give Chamari Atapattu’s side plenty of confidence.

The 12-team tournament features two groups of six, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the semi-finals.

Sri Lanka Women have never reached the last four of an ICC event.

Rex Clementine in Bristol