Foreigners may turn out for rugby clubs in 2011

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

Rugby fans in Sri Lanka will once again get an opportunity of witnessing top foreign players in action if the Council of the SLRFU gives the green light for foreigners to turn out for clubs in the 2011 rugby season.

The presence of foreigners will be a tremendous boost for rugby helping to attract crowds, improve the skills of the players and ensure a level playing field.

CH and FC had the honour of being the first club to include foreigners and obtained the services of Fijians Jalasi Radrardo and Apisi Nagata in 1986 who helped the Maitland Crescent club to bag the Premadasa Trophy by overcoming the mighty Policemen in the final.

Nagata was joined by the Fijian duo of Ilatia Ravouvou and 'man mountain' Manasa Qoro who played a major role in helping CH and FC to reign supreme in club rugby during the five year period from 1990 to 1994 during which the club clinched the rugby triple thrice (1990, 1993 and 1994) and the 'A' division league title on three occasions - in 1990, 1992 and 1993.

Kandy SC is another club which benefitted immensely by the inclusion of foreigners. They won the prestigious Clifford Cup for the first time in 1992 and the 'A' division league for the first time in 1994 and the triple crown in 1995.

Two players who played a vital role in their success during the four year period was the Fijian duo of Bati Penaia and Kitioni Ratudradra. In his very first year (1992) Bali Penaia tore the CR and FC defence to shreds to score three tries and give Kandy a runaway 53-9 win at Nittawela and in the return match at Longden Place, the Red Shirts were leading 14-7 when flanker Kitioni Ratudradra scored a try in injury time enabling Kandy SC to hold CR to a 14-all draw.

The year 1996 saw the emergence of CR and FC as a champion outfit with Papua New Guinean Junior Nixon and Samoan Tavita Tulagaese being the star players for the Red Shirts who bagged the 'A' division league title by remaining unbeaten. Two years later Australian Paul Bennet and Tavita Tulagaese gave a sterling display enabling the Red Shirts to clinch the rugby double - the 'A' division league and President's Trophy by overcoming Kandy SC 30-26 in the final.

The presence of the Fijian trio of Jale Salusalu, Naibuke Gonelailai and Moape Ravouvou marked the resurgence of Havelocks rugby from 1993 to 1995 ending up as runners up to CH and FC in the Premadasa Trophy and bagging the Rugby Sevens title by edging out Army 18-16 with Salusalu scoring the match winning try just before the final whistle.

CH and FC's rugby reached great heights in 2003 emerging runners-up to Kandy SC in the Caltex 'A' division league and Clifford Cup with Fijian centre Jimmy Blokoro and lock forward Fred Moe giving a dazzling display with the most memorable game being against a formidable Army team which CH won by the staggering margin of 69 points to 17 with 'man mountain' Fred Moe scoring five tries.

In the same year (2003) Havelocks won a major trophy in 15-a-side rugby after 19 years when the Park Club propelled by the Tongan duo of centre Joseph Waka and No 8 Alex Taka won the Premier Champions Trophy by edging out CR and FC by 21-19 in the final.