Past Sri Lanka ruggerites to form Association
Jatila KARAWITA
An influential group of past Sri Lanka rugby players are set to form
an association shortly taking a cue from their cricketing counterparts,
the Sri Lanka Cricketers Association, in a bid to put pressure through a
strong lobby group to the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU)
whenever decisive decisions are taken with regard to the game and
players in future, its co-ordinator Dr. Maiya Gunasekera said.
This new past Sri Lanka rugby players association is to be headed by
ex-national, Police SC, Havelocks SC and St. Joseph’s number eight Anton
Benedict.
Among other former well-known players who are likely to feature in
this ground-breaking group will be ex-skipper Priyantha Ekanayaka,
ex-captain Hisham Abdeen, former lock forward of Havelocks SC and S.
Thomas’ College, Chaminda Rupasinghe, ex-Sri Lanka, CR & FC and Royal
second-rower Lasitha Gunaratne and former Sri Lanka, CH & FC and Trinity
centre cum former Chairman of selectors Rohan Abeykoon. Dr. Maiya
Gunasekera said that the formation of a powerful group of players to
look after the interests of current players, and other decisive
decisions taken by the SLRFU if they are detrimental to both the players
and the game then to counter it such an association was a need of the
hour.
He stressed that the recent controversy which erupted over the
appointment of CR & FC number eight Dushanth Lewke to lead the national
team to the concluded HSBC Asian Five Nations Division I in Chinese
Taipei could have been easily defused had there been a players
association.
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