Lewke to lead Sri Lanka in Chinese Taipei

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

CR and FC and Sri Lanka number eight Dushanth Lewke has been picked to lead Sri Lanka at the Asian First Division Rugby Tournament which will be worked off in Chinese Taipei in November this year.

The Sri Lankan ruggerites will compete with China, Singapore and host nation Chinese Taipei in this four nation tournament.

Lewke turned out for Royal College, Colombo from 2000 to 2002 and was the vice captain of the invincible Royal rugby team of 2002. He turned out for the Sri Lanka under 20 team at the Youth Rugby Asiad in Colombo in 2000 and had the honour of representing the Sri Lanka under 20 team at the Youth World Cup in Chile in April, 2001 and also represented the national under 20 team at the Youth Rugby Asiad in 2002.

After leaving school he joined CH and FC and turned out for the Maitland Crescent Club from 2003 to 2005 before crossing over to Kandy SC in August 2005 and turned out for the hill capital club which won the Clifford Cup in 2005.

He played for Kandy Sports Club in 2006 which won the Caltex ‘A’ Division League Rugby Title and in 2007 played a key role in the success of Kandy SC which won the Rugby Double - the ‘A’ Division League Rugby Title and Clifford Cup before crossing over to CR and FC in 2008.

Dushanth first donned the Sri Lanka Jersey in 2003 and has been an automatic choice for the national team since than - including the 2004 Asiad in Hong Kong and 2007 Asiad in Colombo. He got the much needed foreign exposure by turning out for Sportswood Sports Club of Taranaki Province in New Zealand’s Division one Rugby Tournament from 2005 to 2007.

He played a vital role in the success of CR and FC this year which emerged runners up of Caltex ‘A’ Division League and Clifford Cup with a terrific display in both attack and defence and has been richly rewarded for his efforts by being entrusted with the captaincy of the Sri Lanka 15-a-side rugby team.