Sri Lanka's troubled rugby administration has sought Pakistan's help to take the sport forward and hopefully stave off a group of subversive elements that also includes a rebel faction who are working behind the scenes to sabotage the sport in whatever possible way.
The shadowy group is said to be headed by an ex-Sri Lanka Rugby president well known for his political frolics and colour changing tactics while his "second in command' is said to be a former referee now turned businessman.
The group is alleged to have been behind the move that led to the sacking of SLR's leadership in March by the forced-to-resign former Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa that was subsequently declared unlawful by the Appeal Court.
To overcome the subversive elements SLR this week signed an agreement with Pakistan for an undisclosed some of money that its president Rizly Illyas said will be utilised for the development of provincial rugby including tournaments for outstation schools and clubs.
Pakistan made no secret of the pact and fact that their intervention could not have come at a better time.
"I see so much passion in the young boys and girls playing rugby when I go for a walk (in Colombo). So we thought why not invest something where it matters.
"I am happy that the provinces will be able to benefit from this donation. We don't want to see Sri Lanka sports go down and look forward to a long association. Long live Sri Lanka-Pakistan relationship," said Pakistan's High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Major General Umar Farook Burki who also revealed that rugby was popular among his country's defense forces.
The disputed sacking of SLR's hierarchy which has now been reinstated also aborted the remainder of the Nippon Paint inter club League championship two weeks ahead of its scheduled end with defending champs Kandy SC and Havelock SC within striking distance of the title.
Illyas who played for a downtrodden club Petersons SC in the 1980s and rose up in administrative ranks in retirement described the agreement with Pakistan as a landmark achievement in the nearly 150-year history of rugby in the island.
"It is a big stepping stone going forward with Pakistan," declared Illyas who is also facing a probe by Asia Rugby over an unspecified charge. "We reached out to them (Pakistan High Commission) and they gave us.
“Our rugby links with Pakistan go back 70 years when we hosted a team from the Karachi Rugby Football Union in 1952."
Seven Provincial Rugby Unions are affiliated to SLR who are also in the process of setting up and inducting two more regional bodies from the north and east of the country that was once ravaged by the civil war.
Illyas contends the northern and eastern provinces are fertile ground for new recruits with the latter holding much promise for women's rugby that is said to be one of the fastest growing fields in women's sport in the world.