- In conversation with SLR Prez on future roadmap of Lankan rugby
Sri Lanka has a long history with Rugby dating back to 1879 and is the second-largest rugby-playing Nation in Asia, behind World Cup powerhouse Japan.
After cricket, which is by far the most popular sport and a national obsession in the island, rugby is generally considered to have the third-highest following and popularity in Sri Lanka with the schoolboy-level being amongst the top in the world in terms of crowds, skill level, live broadcast coverage and overall traction.
Today The Daily Morning Sports sat down for an exclusive interview with the man behind the steering wheel of the oval ball game in the sport crazy island, Pavithra Fernando - President of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR), a sporting body that has seen many turbulent eras in recent history.
In his playing days Pavithra ‘Pavi’ Fernando was a formidable flanker for Royal College, CR&FC and Captained Sri Lanka at the Rugby Asian tourney in 2008. After a successful schooling career at the Reid Avenue School playing from 1996-99 he joined CR and went onto captain the outfit from 2004-06 before hanging his boots in 2007. Fernando was elected as President of SLR in October 2025.
Following are excerpts of the interview:
After some troublesome times Sri Lanka is back in action as a fully functioning rugby governing body, how important is it for the sport in Sri Lanka to be back on track?
It’s extremely important because a stable governing body is the foundation for fair competitions, player welfare, development pathways, and international credibility.
During the period of suspension, Sri Lanka Rugby also missed out on valuable World Rugby grants, and our Training & Education (T&E) programmes were stalled badly, which contributed to a shortage of qualified coaches, match officials, and technical personnel needed to take the game forward.
At the same time, Sri Lanka unfortunately missed out on several junior national tournament opportunities, and we were even required to represent Sri Lanka under the OCA flag during this period.
Our priority now is to rebuild confidence through consistent structures, transparency, and unity, and to ensure Sri Lankan rugby moves forward with full recognition, opportunity, and pride.
What are the key areas we need to focus on to take Sri Lankan rugby to the next level, and how can we leverage our strengths to achieve this?
We must strengthen the player pathway from schools to clubs to national teams, improve high-performance standards, and raise refereeing and coaching quality.
Sri Lanka has the talent and passion — but to move to the next level we must also make the game more professional, and the first step will be introducing player contracts, starting with our national squads, to ensure consistency, accountability, and long-term performance development. With the right structure, professionalism, and sustained focus, results will follow
How can we create a sustainable model for rugby development in Sri Lanka, and what role do you see the Government, schools, and clubs playing in this?
Sustainability comes from long-term planning, shared responsibility, and proper systems, not short-term fixes.
The Government can support policy and facilities, schools & provincial development build the pipeline, clubs develop players long-term, and SLR aligns everyone under one clear pathway.
What plans do you have up your sleeve to improve women's rugby?
Women’s rugby is a major growth opportunity for Sri Lanka, and our focus is to expand the player base while raising the standard of performance.
Unlike the boys’ system, many of the larger girls’ schools—especially in the Western Province—are not currently playing rugby, so a key priority will be to actively encourage and support these schools to adopt the game through structured introductions, coaching support, and safe development pathways.
At present, a large portion of players entering the national women’s programme come mainly through the provincial system, and while we intend to widen the school participation significantly, we will also continue to strengthen and invest in the provincial development pathway to ensure women’s rugby grows consistently and sustainably across the country.
What are your plans to develop a particular format?
Both formats, Sevens and 15s, are important. Sri Lanka has a strong potential in Sevens due to our athleticism along with the opportunities available through regional and international Sevens competitions.
We will develop Sevens through structured high-performance preparation, consistent competition exposure, and clear national squad planning — and importantly, we will be introducing player contracts for our national Sevens programme shortly to support professionalism and consistency.
To be successful long-term, we need to move towards having two specialised squads for Sevens and 15s, because at present many of our players are expected to play both formats, which can lead to overtraining, increased injuries, and a drop in performance over time.
At the same time, we will continue strengthening Fifteens to build depth and game understanding, and we aim to introduce a similar contracted structure for the national Fifteens programme before the end of 2027.
The standard of refereeing generally has been declining over the recent past. This is applicable to both schools and club rugby. How do you plan to tackle this problem and what role do you foresee SLR playing in it?
Refereeing is critical for player safety, match fairness, and the integrity of the game, and the primary responsibility for referee development rests with the recognised referees’ associations.
Sri Lanka Rugby’s role is to support and strengthen that system by ensuring proper match-day standards, creating opportunities for education and progression, and working collaboratively to improve consistency across schools and club competitions.
To strengthen officiating standards across the game, Sri Lanka Rugby will implement a one-time Referee Development Programme targeting the development of around 30 new referees to fill the current gap in quality match officials.
At the same time, we will introduce an SLR Elite Referee Panel, modelled on best practices of top Tier One rugby nations, to recognise and appoint referees based on performance, consistency, and professionalism.
What's your vision for grassroots rugby development in Sri Lanka, and how can we increase participation and engagement at the community level?
Grassroots development is where the future of rugby is created. The goal is to make rugby more accessible, safer, and enjoyable for children and young players across the country. We want to grow participation through, community and provincial programmes, beginner-friendly formats (Tag Rugby) for younger age groups, coach education and basic equipment support, creating more opportunities for schools and communities that are not traditionally part of rugby.
Participation will grow when rugby feels inclusive, organised, and properly supported at the grassroots level.
How can we effectively introduce rugby to schools who are not playing the game and create a strong foundation for the sport, and what partnerships would be essential in achieving this?
Rugby can grow in more schools through structured introduction programmes focused on safety, qualified coaching, and gradual skill development.
We plan to utilise recognised frameworks such as the World Rugby “Get Into Rugby (GIR) programme, and introduce Tag Rugby as a safe and inclusive entry point before progressing to contact rugby at the appropriate level.
Partnerships with the Ministry of Education, school administrations, clubs, provincial structures, and corporate supporters will be essential to provide coaching support, equipment, and long-term sustainability.
What are the most critical infrastructure needs for rugby in Sri Lanka, and how can we attract investment to support the growth of the game?
The most critical infrastructure needed now is establishing a dedicated High-Performance Hub equipped with modern, high-tech training and recovery facilities so our national squads can prepare at the same level as many of the countries ranked above us.
This would support athlete monitoring, conditioning, rehabilitation, and long-term performance development across the entire rugby system.
For the national Fifteens programme in particular, it is also vital that we invest in specialist equipment such as a hydraulic scrum machine, as scrummaging is one of the key areas we must improve, and this will significantly strengthen our set-piece performance at international level.
To attract investment and sponsorship, we must operate professionally, deliver value, and build long-term trust through structured programmes and transparency.
I must also acknowledge the main sponsor of the 2025/26 league tourney, who came forward at very short notice — without their support, the current season would not have commenced on time.
We are grateful for that commitment, and I also wish to recognise the efforts of Sponsorship Committee Member Tyronne Coonghe and NSC Member Rohan Abayakoon, who were instrumental in securing this support.
What's your approach to identifying and developing young talent in Sri Lanka, and how can we create opportunities for players to progress to the national team?
Talent identification must be systematic, with consistent monitoring and structured development through age-grade and club pathways.
We have also discussed with the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) the formation of Under-14 and Under-16 development squads, to bring the best young talent from across the country into the system early and give them access to quality coaching, strength & conditioning, nutrition guidance, and long-term player development support.
We also plan to establish four Under-24 provincial squads, each consisting of around 40 players, to create a structured pathway for talented players who may not immediately secure places in club teams.
This will help players progress into A and B Division club rugby and ultimately into the national programme, especially because currently only a very small percentage of players leaving the schools system are absorbed into the club structure due to limited opportunities.
In parallel, we aim to use these squads to revive the Under-24 tournament, which has not been held for over two decades, to create more competitive exposure and match opportunities for emerging talent.
How can we support our players competing internationally and ensure they're equipped to succeed at the highest level?
International rugby demands fitness, resilience, and exposure to higher-speed competition, so preparation must be structured and consistent.
Alongside improved high-performance planning and coaching support, we are also looking at creating opportunities for our top players to spend short stints overseas in rugby environments such as New Zealand and Australia, as that level of exposure can significantly accelerate development.
In the past, players such as Priyantha Ekanayake, Tarinda Ratwatte, Sudharshana Muthuthanthri, and Dushanth Lewke benefited greatly from overseas experience, and we believe structured international exposure can again play a key role in improving our national performance.
How crucial and beneficial is it to have partnerships to have a win-win for all, especially partnering with local corporate giants in driving rugby development in Sri Lanka?
Corporate partnerships are vital to sustain rugby development and grow the sport long-term. They create a win-win situation by supporting national progress while giving partners meaningful visibility, community impact, and brand value.
How can we leverage international collaborations and expertise to benefit Sri Lankan rugby, and what specific areas would you like to focus on?
International collaboration helps us adopt best practices and accelerate improvement through expertise and exposure.
Transfer programmes for both players and coaches are extremely important, because Tier One nations continually upgrade their systems, and learning from these environments early is critical if we want to close the gap and progress faster.
How can we promote a culture of transparency, accountability, and inclusivity within Sri Lanka Rugby, and what initiatives would you propose to achieve this?
Trust is built through consistent governance, clear processes, and equal engagement with all stakeholders across regions and clubs.
Our goal is to strengthen accountability and inclusivity so everyone feels represented in Sri Lanka Rugby’s progress.
In line with this, Sri Lanka Rugby has also published the first edition of our Quarterly Newsletter, which is aimed at keeping stakeholders informed, improving communication, and ensuring greater transparency around our activities, plans, and progress across the game.
You are now the SLR President. President for all stakeholders and especially the clubs. In the eyes of certain rugby circles there seems to be a perceived bias you have towards CR&FC. Are you anti-Kandy?
No, I reject that completely. As President of Sri Lanka Rugby, I represent every club, every region, and every stakeholder equally.
Since our appointment on 8 October 2025, every decision taken by the Executive Committee has been guided by due process and made purely in the overall best interests of the game.
Sri Lanka Rugby can only progress when we act fairly, consistently, and with unity — and that is precisely the standard we are committed to maintaining.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the interviewee, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication