The unforgettables of the Havelocks

RUGBY: Another Rugger season is about to begin with Kandy Sports Club having dominated the scene during the last few years.

What has happened to the Havelocks who were the first winners of the Clifford Cup in 1950 which was then the plum of local Rugby, and whose formidable sides comprised some of Sri Lanka's outstanding rugby players.

Some of the unforgettable are Ken de Joodt, one of Sri Lanka's most talented ruggerites whose position was at full back or Centre three quarter and was also a superb drop and place kicker one can still remember.

Ken's copybook tackle on Jonn Le Geyt of the CH&FC's all conquering all expatriate side on a Saturday afternoon at Havelock park, Lucky Sumanasekera or Summa as he was known, was a fine three quarter and also a superb tackler in defence, the dashing Maurice Silva with the slicing run could penetrate any defence, Nimal Maralande was a thinking Stand off, the Mercurial Glen Van Langenberg also at stand off and whose up and unders, are still to be seen on a Sri Lankan Rugby ground.

Talking of Glen's up and unders one remembers how a rival standoff seeing one attempted the same, but his kick detoured on reverse to his own full back with him knocking on in the confusion. Glen could also relieve the pressure for the Havies from their won 25 metre line to the opponents 25 metre line with his booming kicks.

Conrad "Coca Cola" Ephraums with the black scrum cap was a feared flanker, Y.C. Chang the tough Prop, the unpredictable but the unforgettable. Dr. Hubert Aloysius captained the Clifford Cup winning Havelocks side of 1961, but had the misfortune of being dropped for not attending practices, that outstanding player Noel Brohier as lock forward would always be the last to get up from a loose maul with the ball in hand.

Tyrone 'Tiger' Holdenbottle, one of Sri Lanka's most mobile forwards played as prop forward or flanker, Michael De Alwis was the hooker but what a tremendous player in the loose. He could be seen bleeding profusely, or setting a dislocated shoulder and continue to battle to the end, in an era when substitutes were not permitted in Rugby.

Among the others are Fred Aldons, Maurice Anghie, Gamini Fernando, Royden de Silva, a double International in Rugby and Basketball, who would play a rib bruising Rugger Match for the Havies at 5 p.m. and at 6.30 p.m. the same evening be at the Basketball court to represent the Orients, Gogi Tillekeratne. Thajonne Savanghan, Angelo Wickramaratne, Michael Jayasekere etc. would one see the likes of them again?

The key match for the season and which was eagerly looked forward to, was the match against Arch Rivals the CR and FC. Among the numerous high Tension Voltage clashes between three two leading sides the 1970 Clifford Cup semi-final clashes could be considered a classic as the first game produced no result at extra time (6-all) and the second a few days later had gone in to virtually the last Second's of extra time, when it was left to the determination of the great Glen Van Lengenberg to carry Havies over the goal line and through to the finals 11-8 with the Police which ended in a 6-all draw.

These were the games of a life time to the thousands of fans who were fortunate to have witnessed them.

The last time the Havies won the league title was way back in 1981. Twenty five years is a long time indeed, but as it is said that history repeats itself, and it is hoped it will for the Havies, so that they will get back those glory days of what was once a Golden Era for the park club and Sri Lankan Rugby when it was the most popular sport in the country.

Wasantha Rajendran