Rugby coach Gunaratne dies

Well known rugby coach S. M. B. (Beauty) Gunaratne passed away at the early hours of May 1 (Saturday). He was 60 years old.

Gunaratne better known as 'Beauty' hailing from Avissawella was in Sabaragamuwa RFA for two decades had joined hands with B. K. Ramachandra, K. S. P. Karunaratna and P. A. P. Gunaratna who had taken great pains to produce rugby players in Sabaragamuwa.

He was an asset to the former Chairmen of Rugby Development in Sabaragamuwa Y. C. Chang and present Chairman Arjun Dharmadasa.

Beauty was appointed as an Assistant Technical Officer and Asst. Coach of the women's national rugby team of SLRFU. Sabaragamuwa also had produced few men's national rugby players. Beauty also had coached many 'A' division rugby players in Sabaragamuwa and schools like Seethawaka MV, Pallekaunagalla, Embilipitiya Central, Buddhist College Talduwa, Balangoda Central are some of them.

He leaves his wife Geetha and son Krishan Gunaratne who is an Old Wesleyite and now an Air Force officer and a member of the Air Force rugby team.

Cortege will leave his residence at Talduwa on May 3 (Monday) at 2 p.m. and the funeral will take place at the Avissawella burial grounds at 3 p.m.