Travel fiasco hits Sri Lanka's build-up
Robert Burns once mourned about 'the best laid schemes o' mice and men' falling apart. George Simpkin must have shared the Scottish poet's point of view after he saw the Sri Lanka squad's carefully laid travel plans unravel at Colombo Airport on Thursday night.
The 22-strong squad coached by Simpkin was due to take a Cathay Pacific flight and arrive in Hong Kong at noon yesterday. They were to then check into their Happy Valley hotel - close to the Hong Kong Football Club, the venue of tomorrow's 2007 World Cup qualifying match against Hong Kong - and go for a 90-minute training run at King's Park last night.
But all these plans came undone when Cathay Pacific apparently said they couldn't confirm seats for the squad from Bangkok to Hong Kong, forcing Simpkin and the team to change to another airline which could only get them here last night.
'We really don't know what happened,' said Robbie McRobbie, Hong Kong Rugby Football Union's community manager, yesterday. 'All we know is that they won't be on their original flight and had to change flights. We first heard that the team had to be split and take two or three different flights into Hong Kong. But we found out later that the whole squad had managed to get on board a flight to Singapore and would arrive later tonight.'
'They were scheduled to have a training run at King's Park soon after they arrived, but now that has been cancelled due to their late arrival,' added McRobbie.
Former Hong Kong coach Simpkin had wanted the Sri Lankan players to familiarise themselves with the artificial pitches at King's Park and Football Club so that they could get a feel for the low bounce of the ball. All grounds in Sri Lanka are natural turf and the bounce of the ball is different.
'We want to get in as many training sessions we can before the game,' said Dilroy Fernando, executive director of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union. 'Unfortunately we had a small problem regarding flights and we will arrive later than planned. But I believe George will make use of the transit time in Singapore by getting the guys working out in the gym at the airport.'
Simpkin's meticulous preparation for the crunch game against Hong Kong - having already beaten China 30-0, Sri Lanka are one win away from making it to the final qualifying group - has included getting the squad accommodated in a Colombo hotel since January and fed a diet of steaks, soups, eggs and vegetables.
It seemed to work against China as Sri Lanka powered their way to victory with four unanswered tries.
'Just the Hong Kong match alone will set us back by 3 million rupees ($220,000),' added Fernando indicating that there were high expectations back in Sri Lanka for the side to win.
The Sri Lankan players have also been promised a bonus of about HK$4,000 each if they win tomorrow.
While their opponents made a less than salubrious entry into Hong Kong, the home team quietly prepared for their first outing in this second round qualifying group.
'We are ready and the boys are pumped up. There is a good feeling in the camp,' said No.8 Semi Iafeta, one of five players in the starting lineup who will be making their debut for Hong Kong.
