CR had an outstanding season under Leuke

CR and FC had an outstanding season under the able leadership of Sri Lanka dashing No. 8 Dushanth Leuke.

They were a bit unlucky not to have won the league Championship after a very long period. CR dominated local rugby arena in the past and produced some of the finest rugby players this country has seen, but with the break away in the 1990's, some of their key players joined Kandy Sports Club, and with that the scenario changed.

However, this year was different during the league they lost only one game to Kandy SC and in the return they beat them.

They were unfortunate that they could not get the five point margin, which would have helped them to clinch the championships.

They had their chances and it was sheer bad luck that their reliable place kicker, Reza Mubarak missed 3 sitter penalties that would have made them the worthy champions.

What is interesting is the side led by former Royalist Dushanth Leuke, had a very young side with the average being 22.

They also had a young set of coaches, where they were tested to the maximum.

Some of their young players Nijel Ratwatte, Reza Mubarak, Vishwajit Jayasinghe, Dinesh Chathuranga, Henry, Karthelis, Dinushka Perera, Hameed, Anjula Perera, Bilal Hussen, Mohamad, Kodituwakku, Niroshan Fernando, Suriyaarachchi, Shafeer Jhan, Costa brothers, can be really happy that they perform well against star studded side like Kandy SC, which comprised almost the Sri Lanka squad and a vastly experienced South African coach.

The Longdon Place Club has come along a long way. With a little bit of maturity and planning, they will definitely produce results. The club's efforts to send players abroad for exposure have helped the young boys.

Team management and the leadership of skipper Leuke, on and off the field was a big booster for the team to do well. Their comradeship was very much evident as a juvenile unit, with perfect understanding and unity to do well.

CR went on to win club Seven A Side Tournament after a very long period and this was a signal that they are in the correct path and if they maintain this progress, what they have achieved so far and with new players joining them, they will be able to win back the lost glory of famous CR and FC in the coming year and we will be able to watch scintillating rugby which they produced in the past is not far away from them.