C. H. Seneviratne-a top rugby referee and expert hooker

Sporting Personalities with Ken de Joodt

SPORTING PERSONALITIES: In earlier times, the skills or Rugby in the fifties and sixties were hard and exciting, with a 'Mind-set' of first a 'Forwards' bustling battle and then moving the ball down the line, to enable the 'Wing Three-Quarters' to score.

It was a delightful spectacle to watch 'three-quarter' lines move the ball down, to score a try on the wing. It was considered a cardinal error for a 'stand-off' or 'three' to run back into the forwards.

Today, the Laws of the game have changed and the patterns of play are vastly different. Yet it is vitally important to 'keep possession' of the ball, with more 'hits', phased-out play and faster-paced Rugby, where even the forwards go for the score! Of course, the greater emphasis on 'special skills' and fitness have not changed and is of paramount importance.

For instance, in the 'Back division' the pivotal role was the 'stand-off, whose main function was to receive the ball from a 'scrum' or 'line-out' and pass it out fast 'like handling a hot potato!' - to work his 'threes'.

His individual skills were essential, kicking equally well with both feet, to gain ground with booming kicks to touch, or 'punt aheads', 'grubbers', cross-kicks or surprising the opponents with sudden 'scissor-movements' or placing a well-timed 'drop-goal' when close on their goal-line!.

Likewise, among the eight 'Forwards' - the 'vital' position, on whom the whole 'set-scrum' centred-on, was the "Hooker"! It would depend on a good 'hooker' to 'out-hook' his opposing number and retrieve the ball, for the 'backs' to be set in motion for scoring...(what use is there of the 'threes'-if there is no ball?!).

To make it more arduous, there were about '101 rules' for various infringements, that applied to the "hookers', 'line-out-jumpers' and other 'Forwards'. With 'fair and even' contests in the Scrums and "Line-out play with the earlier 'rules', it made the game more exciting and called for expert 'hooking' - and skilful 'jumping'!

"C.H." (Chandra) Seneviratne, was one of the experts in 'hooking' of the Rugby past, who is back in Sri Lanka on a brief holiday but now domiciled in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

It was a pleasant surprise meeting him with his beautiful wife Hemali (nee Abeywardena), who is the sister of Kumar Abeywardena, the "Toast of Ruhunu Rugby" (and 'Prime Promoter' and President of Galle Rugby Club! They have three sons namely, Aruna (27) and Gayan (25) born in the U.K. and presently employed in England as an Engineer and Chef respectively - while Dumendra (21) born in Sri Lanka, is currently attending the University of Western Australia in Perth, doing his degree in Commerce, Finance and Accounting.

'C.H.' and Hemali came over 'specially' to be on time for the "Great Trinity Parade" and to celebrate the "100th. Year of Trinity Rugby", climaxing with the Royal-Trinity "Bradby Shield" match which was played in Kandy on the 23rd. Of September.

They were in ripples of ecstasy over the 'rip-roaring' Trinity "lions" victory - in the 62nd Year of Rugby encounters between Trinity and Royal! They were also delighted to participate in the highly successful "Trinity Walk" (72 miles) from Colombo to Kandy, involving over 4000 Trinitians, from the 'start' of it at the Royal College Rugby Complex to the 'end' at Trinity College Hall and to witness the "100th Year Torch-Lighting Ceremony"!

Being honoured to be a part of this memorable Trinity 'milestone' it was well-worth the time, money and energy expended, as well as to meet-up with many "Old and Young" College-mate and bring back pleasant memories of the "great days and jolly days" spent at Trinity!

In the eventful "walk of life" 'C.H.' was first employed as a Trainee Executive in 1962 and later became one of the first Sri Lankans to replace the British Executives in the Estate Management Department of the Colombo Commercial Company.

In 1971 he accepted a senior post in Estate Management, Accounting and selling of Tea at Shaw Wallace and Hedges Ltd.

C.H." looking youthful on his 65th year of life, revived heart-warming memories of great Rugby days, as he recollected sporting on his first 'black and yellow' striped rugger jersey for Ryde House (which he Captained later) and then the glorious 'Red gold and blue' jersey for Trinity, in his first year under the captaincy of (Maj.Gen) Denzil Kobbekaduwa in 1959!

C.H. was a classy hooker in his time and played for Trinity in 1960 too, with Eric Roles as Captain. On leaving College, he joined the Havelocks in 1961 and later Captained the Havies" Bambaras". He played for the Ceylon Barbarians and Low-Country between 1962 and '64.

1965, 'C.H.' switched Clubs and played for the C.R. and F.C. as Hooker, led by an excellent, dashing wing forward, Sari de Sylva as Captain, to give "C.R." the Clifford Cup.

It was in 1966 that 'C.H.' made his 'big-break' to play as Hooker for Sri Lanka, in the All-India Cup Rugby Tournament. Then from 1968 to '70 he was the General Secretary of the C.R. and F.C.

By 1968 'C.H.' decided to 'take to the Whistle' and be a Rugby Referee starting with the 'C' division. 'C.H.' did a great job with the 'whistle' and by 1969 he was appointed to referee in 'A' division matches, as well as to 'blow' in the London Welsh Tour of Sri Lanka,. In 1972, the Parisienne University Club played Sri Lanka at Longdon Place and 'CH' was appointed to referee the game.

He had his 'baptism of fire' as a "Top-grade" Referee, when he was compelled to stop play and order a French player off the field, for a blatant infringement of the rules - but the player refused to vamoose! C.H. immediately 'called the game off' and walked off the field.

With the President of the SLRFU, Summa Navaratnam appealing to C.H. to resume the game, the French Manager admonished the player at fault and got him off the field - it was only then that C.H. agreed to 'get-on' with the game.

He was also selected to referee in the ASIAD Tournament in 1972, in the opening game between Thailand and South Korea, which ended in a breath-taking 17 to 16 points win for Korea.

In 1986, C.H. was appointed to referee in the ASIAD in Hong Kong and in the following year too, he was invited to the 'International Rugby Sevens' in Hong Kong to referee some of the key games, including the "All Blacks".

In December 1972, 'CH' gave Rugby 'the boot' and decided to 'scrum down' in life with Hemali, taking her as a 'prize possession' (they are married over 34 years todate!). After their marriage, they left for England in early '73, for C.H. to pursue his studies in Accountancy, at Harrow College of Technology.

No sooner he settled down in England, he registered as a referee in the intermediate levels with the London Society of RFU Referees in 1973 and '74. By 1975/76, 'CH' was promoted to the 'Top' list of Referees.

Whilst in UK, he worked for Cope All Man International, which was a medium sized conglomerate, from '74 to '81. He was appointed as a Management Accountant of the Fashions Division on Oxford Street in '73 and later shifted to Bournemouth Packaging.

By 1981, it became his desire to migrate to Australia and to settle down there with the family. 'On the way' to Australia, they decided to stop over in Colombo. Touching 'Home-base' caused a 'change of plans' - so they stayed on for one year before proceeding to Australia.

However, before leaving to Australia, C.H. actively refereed in 1982, a full season of club Rugby. In 1984, he returned to Sri Lanka to continue the Textile Weaving business he had set-up in Kandy and was 'drawn' into the Kandy Sports Club, to coach in 1985.

He was attracted to do so by the magnetic dynamism of personalities like Dr. C. D. L. Fernando, Chandra Wijenaike, Dr. Sarath Kapuwatte, Dr. Makuloluwa, plus those in the Rugby team, such as Ashan Ratwatte as Captain, Devapriya Perera, Nimal Malagamuwa and some others like Tony Arnolda.

While also serving as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Club. C.H. was elected President of the Referees' Society in 1986. He also took up Coaching the Trinity Under 17 Group. Meanwhile he was elected Vice-President of the C.R. and F.C., from 1984 to 89.

1989 was a decisive year, as the country went through political unrest and traumatic conditions, leaving no options for C.H. and the family but to return to Darwin in the Northern Territory, (which is in the hotter parts of Australia) via Sydney. He was appointed Management Accountant and Treasurer of Utility Company in 1990.

With greater involvement in Northern Territory Rugby, he has liaised as Referee Development Officer with the Australian Rugby Union, from 1996, while also being appointed the Head Referee and Coach of Referees.

By 2002, 'C.H.' was honoured with the Presidency of the Northern Territory Referees' Association. In 2004 'C.H.' was one of four Coaches invited, at the beginning of the year to attend two Residential Camps for "Level 3" Coaching in Canberra and Sydney.

'C.H.' has been a Ministerial Advisor to various Ministers in the Northern Territory Government, which incidentally is a separate State Government in the continent of Australia. He has prepared the papers for 'Establishing of Population Policy for Northern Territory', on Investment and Multi Cultural Affairs.

He currently is the Economic Analyst for the Power and Water Corporation and other utilities. He has also been involved in the Council of Government Schools Organization (COGSO) for over 12 years voluntarily, which focuses on the Management of Schools' Curriculum, Senior teaching appointments and even lobby for funding Government Schools. He was recently honoured with "Life Membership" for the dedicated work done.

In his view, Sri Lanka Rugby has gone through many changes, some good - some 'not so good' - but more importantly C.H. has a great passion for refereeing, so he emphasized on the actual "Coaching of Referees".

He believes in the 'Structured Basis for Referee Development' which helps in producing and developing, even the new Referees to be 'managers of people' on the field than being 'the Policeman', blowing up for every infringement they see!

Talking to the players and drawing their attention to their mistakes often help the 'flow' of the game to 'carry on'. It is advisable and good, if there are at least three or four additional referees to observe the performance of the main referee and how the game progressed, for 'follow-up' discussions. "Right Coaching of Referees" produces "Right Referees"!