Navy's rugby on the rise

Ranjeewa Seneviratne

The Sri Lanka Navy which entered the 'A' Division rugby arena after a lapse of three years came up with a stupendous performance to score a sensational 18-12 win over the formidable CH and FC.

The sailors who went down fighting to the Army (10-15) in the previous week came up with a gallant display to overcome the high-riding CH and FC who began the season with two smashing wins over Police (39-15) and Havelocks (56-6).

The forwards spearheaded by sturdily build No. 8 Sumedha Malewana gave a sterling performance to outplay the famed CH 'eight' in the loose with Piumal Manchanayake, Suranga Swarnatilleke, Nuwan Bandara and Shehan Deen giving of their best.

Their three quarters too came up with a dazzling display with the halves combination of Suranga Pushpakumara and Samantha Lakshan hitting in off smoothly while centre Dilip Methruwan and wingers Nuwan Hettiarachchi and Niranjan Wickremaratne tested the CH defence to the hilt with their powerful runs.

With this win the sailors led by dynamic flanker Yoshitha Rajapaksa have emerged as a force to be reckoned with despite missing competitive rugby for the last three years as most of their players were deployed for duty in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

During the period 1998 to 2005 the Sri Lanka Navy created several upsets by overcoming more fancied teams and players of the calibre of Ravi Jayasuriya, Manjula Ruwantilleke, Sumedha Malewana, Rizan Saldin, A. P. Kolonne going onto don the Sri Lanka Jersey. But the Navy's finest moment on the rugby field was in 1989 when under the leadership of lanky Parakrama Samaraweera the sailors entered the Clifford Cup final before losing to the formidable CR and FC by a whisker (3-6).

The sailors scored a smashing 16-4 win over Havelocks in the quarter-finals and in the semi-finals they held the mighty policemen led by Hafeel Marso to a six-all draw even after extra time and made their entry to the final on a toss of a coin before they went down fighting to CR and FC by 3-6.

Skipper Parakrama Samaraweera, hooker Piyaratne, lock forward Nanayakkara and flanker Panda Wijeratne along with scrum half P. G. Mahindaratne, fly half Hilmy Saheed, wingers Lal Wijesiri, H. M. C. Herath and full back Jeffrey Jamalon gave of their best to bring honour and fame to the Navy on the rugby field.

The sailors were richly rewarded when at the end of the season three of their players scrum half P. G. Mahindaratne, fly half Hilmy Saheed and winger Lal Wijesiri were picked to play for Sri Lanka on the tour of Hong Kong.