Rugby promoters Chang and Asitha honoured by Kandy SC

S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports correspondent

Kandy Sports Club, the undisputed club rugby champions in the local rugby scene has honoured two rugby promoters as Honorary Life members of the Club for their dedicated services at the Annual General Meeting of the Club held at the Nittawala Club House on Sunday.

These two rugby promoters are former National rugby captain Y. C. Chang and Marketing Director of Singer Sri Lanka (Pvt) Limited Asitha Abeysekera.

The President of the Kandy Sports Club Dr. Sarath Kapuwatte speaking in glowing terms described Y. C. Chang as a dynamic personality who has contributed immensely for the improvement and development of club rugby in Sri Lanka. He started his rugby career at Trinity College and represented Kandy Sports Club for a number of years and captained the club in 1968 and 1969 when the club was coached by Maurice Perera. He was a planter by profession at that time.

He left planting and took up appointment in the mercantile sector and represented CH and FC and Havelocks SC. He also captained the Sri Lanka rugby team. When his playing days were over, he took upto rugby administration and was one of the most dynamic Presidents of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union.

It was due to his efforts that the Quarter Final Stages of the Clifford Cup knock out tournament was first played in Kandy and this has been continued upto now with a improvement of playing the finals in Kandy. He is a firm believer in the promotion and development of rugby in the outstations.

Asitha Abeysekera - an old boy of Trinity College and kingswood College though not dazzling in rugby but has contributed immensely for the development of the game especially in the hill capital.

Along with Singer Chairman Hemaka Amarasuriya, he has been instrumental in Singer Sri Lanka sponsoring Kandy Sports Club for the past eight years. He has also been in the Committee of the club.

Singer Sri Lankan Airlines International Rugby Sevens organised every year by Kandy Sports Club for the past nine years.

A diehard rugby fan and what he has missed the rugby playing field, he is now contributing in large measure off the field by promoting the game which reaches a larger area. A very humble and unassuming personality, ever willing to help others. His love for rugby knows no bounds.