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From boxer to ruggerite and a very successful one at that. That is the story of DIG Nimal Leuke who is now the Commandant of the Special Task Force.

Leuke, it must be admitted has the Midas touch, in that he can turn to gold anything that he touches.

With rugby in the country having slumped in recent times, it is time that those in charge of the game brought Leuke back into the scrum and put him in charge of resurrecting the game.

Having him in the administration is just a waste of talent. His abilities are in coaching and this he has proved in no uncertain terms.

After showing promise as a boxer at St. Sylvester's College, Kandy, where he excelled winning his weights in the then popular Stubbs Shield, Leuke took to rugby like a duck to water once joining the Police.

From the time he sported Police colours as a No. 8 and flanker, Leuke never looked back until national colours came his way. Proudly sporting Sri Lanka colours, he contributed immensely being in many a winning team and supporting the team and the captain like a true sportsman.

Lueke is not a talker but a worker. He does not mouth words but shows his class by deed. As coach he has turned out many an outstanding ruggerite and school and club teams he coached emerge champions.

After a very fruitful career as player and captain, Leuke moved into the more difficult art of the game and that is coaching where he achieved great success and was the envy of many a coach.

Simple and unassuming Leuke has much more to offer the game here. As a coach he is second to none. His achievements require that he be brought back and put in charge of the game, if it is to regain its lost glory.

Here are some of Leuke's achievements as player and coach that has made him one, if not the most successful to be involved in the game.

He sported the Police jersey without a break from 1972 to '83. Playing in his pet positions - flanker or number 8, he proved his class finally leading the Blue jerseys to the ultimate in local rugby - the Clifford Cup. In 1980.

Once his playing days were over, Leuke moved into giving back to the game that brought him fame by taking up to coaching. His first stint was with St. Joseph's where he helped the school enjoy its best years by entering the semi-finals of the President's Cup tournament.

In 1990 Havelocks invited him to be their coach and steered them into the Clifford Cup final. After putting the Park Club rugby on the rails to success he moved to coaching St. Peter's and for the first time in its history had the distinction of beating unbeatable teams such as Issipatana and Trinity.

Not satisfied with putting right schools rugby, his greatest challenge came when he was asked to coach Kandy Sports Club, by that former ruggerite now turned benefactor - Malik Samrawickrema.

When he moved in to take charge of Kandy rugby it was his goal that Kandy get not only the best players, but also the best available coach.

Samarawickrema who can tell a gem when he sees one, plonked for Leuke to take charge of Kandy SC rugby. And what a sensational success Leuke made as coach.

For three years 1995,'96 and '97 KSC carried all before them, playing some of the finest rugby not seen for a long time to win 8 out of the 9 trophies on offer.

There was no side that could take the fight to KSC as they won as they liked under the able, efficient and excellent guidance of Leuke. He taught his charges some superb manoeuvres and it was a treat to watch the players dishing out 22 carat gold rugby.

Leuke had the first taste of international rugby flavour when he showed the under-24 ruggerites how to beat Hong Kong. Later being appointed national coach he helped beat the strong Northern Territories for the first time and later coached the squad that won the Neighbours Cup.

His ruggerites also won the Plate championship at the rugby Asaid in Thailand.

Then in Asiad 2000 his squad performed magnificently going down to Singapore who were strengthened with foreigners. According to reports the Lankans played determined and hard and would have won if not for the foreigners in the Singapore side.

Then later in 2000 he took to coaching the school by the sea S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and made them enjoy one of their best years by emerging unbeaten league champions.

From the above it can be seen that DIG Nimal Leuke is indispensable. It is a must then that he be tossed into the rugby scrum if the game is to attain former glory.

An Officer and Gentleman of Leuke's calibre is hard to find.

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