Sylvestrians field a strong side

S M Jiffrey Abdeen Kandy Sports Corr

St Sylvesters College, Kandy will be fielding a strong outfit this season and hope to create a good impression.

The Sylvestrians have been having their ups and downs in rugby. They were at one time playing in the ‘A’ Division of the schools rugby tournament in the early nineties. They also had the distinction of defeating Trinity College at the Lions own den at Pallekelle in 1998 which stunned the local rugby world. But their performance during the last two years have been not that impressive and they hope to make amends this year.

The team is captained by fly half Lahiru Jayatissa, a third year coloursman who had to miss some of the early matches due to a shoulder injury. In his absence the team was captained by No 8 Lasitha Attanagoda. Skipper Lahiru Jayatissa is a fine line kicker and his place kicking is also good.

The team is coached by former Sri Lanka Army and national winger G B Gunadasa who earlier coached Kingswood College, Ananda College, Wesley College before returning to his home town to coach the Sylvestrians. It was under the guidance of Gunadasa that Kingswood College produced champion sides and made a big impact on the local schools rugby scene. One of his finest products is Nalaka Weerakoddy and the famous Ibrahim brothers from Kingswood Ronnie, Raja Rinnie and Nilfer.

When talking of St Sylvester’s College rugby one must not forget Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Wayamba Province Nimal Lewke who was the first Sylvestrian to don the national rugby jersey. DIG Nimal Lewke’s achievement is all the more creditable as he did not play the game in school as the Sylvestrians did not have a rugby team during his school days.

He first picked up the game on leaving school at Kandy Sports Club and later played for Sri Lanka Police and led them with distinction to win the League and Clifford Cup Championship titles in 1980. He was also the national rugby coach and coached Kandy Sports Club when they became triple champions under Lasantha Wijesuriya in 1997. His dedication to the game was so much when coaching the champion Kandy team that he travelled from Vavuniya twice a week for the practice sessions and returned to his base later in the evening.

How many rugby coaches would do this especially when the threats of terrorist attack was there. DIG Nimal Lewke also represented Sri Lanka at boring and also won his colours at luckey, cricket and athletics.

St Sylvesters College was the third school to play rugby when they had a one year stint at the game in the fifties and played one match against Trinity College and a practice game against Kandy Sports Club before giving up and only to be revived in the early eighties.

St Sylvesters College will be fielding a good team this year but injuries to their key players has affected their performances. But they hope to do well with the available players:

The rugby pool:

Props: Amila Weerakoon, Mohammed Smood, Mohammed Ackram, Sulochama Athauda.

Hookers: Champika Dissanayake, Dharsha Perera, Mohammed Shakri, Ravin Bandara

Locks: Sithara Samarakoon, Malinda Gamage, Ishan Ratnayake

Flankers: Dananjaya Ekanayake, Ishara Kapukotuwa, Tilina Bandara, Chathura Ratnayake.

No 8: Lasitha Attanagoda, Mohamed Shakri

Sorum Half: Lakshitha Sandaruwan, Ishara Kapukotuwa

Fly half: Lahiru Jayatissa (Captain), Sehan Rabel, Kanishka Hewaliyanage

Wingers: Rukshan Sashmin, Kasun Dananjaya, Dhanushka Perera, Kanishka Hewaliyanage, Arjuna Rohanuwatta

Centres: Praksh Arvindan, Dinuka Prassanna, Ishara Kapukotuwa

Full bzck: Sahan Rabel, Lahiru Jayatissa, K Hewaliyanage

Master in Charge/ Prefect of Games: A K B Dodanwela