Glorious moment for Navy's Rugby

Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club is going great guns in the Caltex Premier League rugby championship. The greatest moment in Navy rugby in recent times was witnessed last Sunday when they humbled much fancied CR and FC at Welisara.

At the beginning of the season, many thought CR would be in a position to challenge the domestic rugby supremacy of Kandy Sports Club. Many put their bets on the Red Shirts, who had a well-knit side which has the capacity to challenge Kandy SC.

In fact, CR and FC put up a gallant show before going down fighting in their first leg meeting against the table leaders Kandy Sports Club. But whatever the little chances CR had of regaining the league title was demolished by Navy SC.

It was so near but yet so far for CR whose dreams of winning the league crown was shattered indiscriminately by Navy SC.

The revival of Navy rugby was initiated with former Sri Lanka Youth player Yoshitha Rajapaksa joining Sri Lanka Navy. After commissioning as an officer of the Executive Branch of the SLN, young Rajapaksa took up the challenge of reviving Navy rugby. Beside a set of talented set of fellow sailors, Yoshitha Rajapaksa also had the services of his elder brother and former S. Thomas' and Sri Lanka Youth skipper Namal Rajapaksa.

This talented combination, backed by a talented set of forwards, masterminded Navy's emergence as a powerful force in domestic rugby. What we witnessed on Sunday at the SLN grounds at Welisara was the climax of the latest developments in Navy rugby.

Shock of the season

The sailors sprang the shock of the season when they registered a sensational 18 points to 3 win over CR. None expected the star-studded CR team to lose in such an unfortunate fashion. Full credit should go to Navy SC for their devastating form to which the Red Shirts had no answer whatsoever.

Not only Navy won the match with a convincing margin of 16 points, but they also did that in great fashion, breaching the CR defence twice to plant the only two tries witnessed at the match. Navy crossed the CR line on either side of half time as they exposed all weak links in the Red Shirts' camp.

Having led 8-3 at the breather, Navy SC went on the rampage in the second half to completely outplay their hapless counterparts.

When the Navy's success story is spoken about, one can not forget the lavish contribution made by their 'pack. It was the marauding Navy 'eight' who added salt to CR's wounds.

Exemplary leadership

Leading the Navy pack was none other than their skipper and flanker Yoshitha Rajapaksa. He played like a true leader and was a source of inspiration to his team-mates with his fiery loose play. He was well backed by talented players of the calibre of Sumedha Malewana, Piumal Manchanayake, Shehan Deen, Namal Rajapaksa and Tyronne Harrison as the Navy 'eight' were unstoppable in the loose.

Navy's forwards combined effectively with their back division with a smooth halves combination to teach CR an unforgettable lesson. Full back, Nuwan Hettiarachchi had an outstanding game, joining the line to form the overlap often and also relieved pressure with his safe collections and booming kicks to touch.

It was nice to see Navy strengthening their dominance with their fifth victory for the season. Enjoying one of their most productive seasons in recent times, Navy's previous wins this season were registered against Police SC (27-3), Air Force SC (27-3), CH and FC (18-12) and Havelocks (32-3). Beating three of Colombo's leading clubs - CR, CH and Havelocks is no easy task and under the circumstances, Navy had done extremely well with their limited resources.

More importantly, it was heartening to see Navy SC registering their best win for the season, just days after Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, a proud product of Royal College, assumed office as the new Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy. He has a passion for rugby, during his illustrious career.

It was Vice Admiral Samarasinghe who was responsible for the resurgence in Navy rugby in 1989. It was during his era as Navy Rugby Chairman that the sailors emerged runners up of the Clifford Cup Tournament after an exciting final against CR. Navy's chances of Clifford Cup glory ten years ago was lost by a whisker, going down to CR 3-6 after a keen tussle for supremacy in the final.

Sailors bound to go places

The early from by Navy SC is an indication that the sailors are bound to spring many more surprises as the season progresses. It is not an easy task for a service team to perform so well against much affluent club teams which train under better conditions. While most of the club players secure lucrative deals in order to secure their playing contract, players in the services teams and Police merely play for glory.

Under the circumstance, the performance of Navy SC is something to crow about and is an eye opener to all, especially to some of those 'bad boys in Sri Lanka rugby'.

One should play for your club team or Sri Lanka national teams purely for glory and not merely for financial gains.

Bold decision by Lokuge

A tribute to Minister of Sports and Public Recreation Gamini Lokuge for teaching those undisciplined lads from the hill capital to put country before self.

Following the findings of the three-member committee and recommendations of the Sports Minister, SLRFU Interim Committee has taken a firm decision to ban those 18 players who pulled out of the Sri Lanka national team at the eleventh hour giving various lame excuses. But it is a public secret that they boycott was made owing to a captaincy issue after CR's Pavithra Fernando was named to lead the national team.

Let those found guilty serve the two-year ban from international rugby and learn a lesson so that we could lay the foundation to discipline Sri Lanka rugby.