Thurstan: past vs present

Achala RAMANAYEKA

The annual rugby encounter between Thurstan Present boys vs Old boys for the Jayantha Wickramarathne trophy will take place tomorrow, 27th at the Police Park.

The trophy will be donated by the distinguished old Thurstanite Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickramarathne who is a keen sports lover and has been an interested follower of Thurstan rugby. Especially he has assisted in many ways to improve the standards of rugby at Thurstan.

Thurstan this year fielding a fresher laden side with nearly a dozen being freshers, but have done reasonably well so far in the Inter School Tournament winning two out of three matches.

DIG Upali Hewage who captained Thurstan in 1968 has once again stepped in to handle Thurstan Rugby and has teamed up with past stalwarts like Harsha Mayadunne, Chula Dharmadasa, Milinda Rathnayake, Upali Bandarathilaka, Suranga Kulawickrama and Mohan Fernando to build up a well knit team.

Old boys team - Wasantha Jayawardana, Ranjith Jayawardana, G.L. Thilakarathne, Sunil Jayakodi, Tissa Nanayakkara, Senaka Kumarasinghe, Badurdeen, Kapila Ponnamperuma, Rohan, D.T. Thilakarathne, Welagedara, Fonseka, Upul Pieris, Vassage, Shantha Kumara, Jayawardana, Ajith Hemantha, Warnakulasuriya, Kapila Gaya Pathirana, Ajantha Rodrigo, Preethi Viraj, Sasanka Ariyarathne, kanishka Bandara, Achala Ramanayeka and Sanoj Nanayakkara

Present boys' team - Chandana Sri Pushpakumara(Captain), Neranjana Kashyapa(V.C), Ishan Udayanga, Hafiz Adahan, Viduranga Weerasinghe, Kasun Sri Vadimuni, Chameera Maduranga, Thanuja Gunarathne, Tharidu Gunarathne, Chathuranga Jayasanka, Tilina Dhananjaya, Danushka Withanage, Kanishka Dilshan, Senura Keheliya, Mithun Dhanushka, Kavindu Gihan, Amila Shiranga, Achela Jeewantha, Anjana Chamikara, Gihan Buddika, Raveen Tharaka, Kalinga Perera, Asanka Pasindu, Chanaka Sameera, Eranga de Costa and Gayan Lasantha