Foreigners to play for clubs

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

The Interim Committee of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union has given the greenlight for clubs to play two foreigners (a forward and a three quarter) in the 2009 Caltex ‘A’ Division League Rugby Tournament and Clifford Cup Knock-out Tournament according to its Secretary Kiran Atapattu.

The Interim Committee took this decision after a meeting with the Rugby Advisory Committee comprising former Sri Lanka captains - Priyantha Ekanayake, Group Capt. Nalin de Silva, Rohan Guneratne, Hisham Abdeen and ex-national players Lasitha Guneratne, Ajith Abeyratne and Imthi Marikar.

The Interim Committee is confident that by playing against foreigners the local players will improve their defence by bringing down the strongly built foreigners which would stand them in good stead when playing for the national team and the foreigners presence should attract more crowds for club matches.

CH and FC was the first club to play foreigners in their team when scrum half Apsi Nagata and centre Jalasi Radrardo turned out for them in 1986.

During the period 1991 to 1994 the Maitland Crescent Club fielded two more foreigners - Fijian No. 8 Manasa Qoro and winger Ilatia Ravouvou who played a key role in the success of CH and FC which clinched the Rugby Triple in 1993 and 1994.

The reigning champions Kandy Sports Club too has benefitted immensely by playing foreigners. Fijians - centre Bati Penaia and flanker Kitioni Ratudradra who made a sizeable contribution when they won the Clifford Cup in 1992 and 1993, the ‘A’ Division League Title for the first time in 1994 and the Rugby Triple in 1995. Fijian national player Opethi Thuruwa too played a key role in helping Kandy to clinch the Triple Crown in 1999 under Harris Omar.

CR and FC too had the services of Papua New Guinean Junior Nixon, Samoan Tavita Tulagaese and Australian Paul Bennet when they emerged unbeaten league champions in 1996 and won the Rugby Double in 1998.

Strongly built Fijian No. 8 Jale Salusalu, lock forward Naibuke Gonelai and full back Moape Ravouvou too contributed immensely to make Havelocks Sports Club a force to be reckoned with from 1993 to 1995.