Kandy SC kings of club rugby

S M Jiffry ABDEEN- Kandy Sports Correspondent

Adversity brings the best in a person and this holds true with the champion rugby club Kandy Sports Club which won the Caltex League Rugby Championship title for 2011 for a record 11 years in a row. In fact that their inevitable record since 1992 is that they have won the league title 17 times in the years they participated.

Kandy Sports Club first won the League Title in 1994 and since then it has been a mere formality for them the League Title and their record at the Clifford Cup knock out tournament is more impressive.

Fazil Marija

Pradeep Liyanage

But this season it was different as they were beset with many problems arising from the unavailability of many of their key players for various reasons. Some other club would have thrown in the towel under these circumstances but not this Kandy Sports Club as it made them strong and more determined, coupled with a will to win and to show the world that they are still a champion side.

The club was compelled to name a replacement skipper and flanker Buddhi Talagampola took over the captaincy. But Kandy's larder was well stocked and they had some promising youngsters who rose to the occasion.

They had played just two games an Enjoining Order sought by another club full back Nuwan Hettiarachchi being stopped from representing the club. Mid way through the season stand in skipper Buddhi Talagampola too suffered a serious injury which put him out of motion for the rest of the season. Now ten of its national players were out of the team for one reason or other. The mantle of leadership fell on that quiet and unassuming lock forward Old Kingswoodian Senaka Bandara who it must be said made his mark at club rugby by improving on his performances tremendously at the time displaying hidden leadership skills.

Despite losing ten of its stars. Kandy Sports Club ruggerites were a determined lot. They were guided by the motto 'It is going to be now or never.' They had to show the world that they could still be the champions in the absence of stars. This brought out the best in them.

They beat CH & FC by the convincing margin of 44-19 but a court case compelled Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union to with-hold six points earned by Kandy Sports Club.

When they faced Havelocks Sports Club they had 40 points to their credit and the second placed Navy Sports Club had 36 points. They had to win this match if they were to retain the league title for the 11th year.

They beat the strong Havelocks Sports Club by the comfortable margin of 23 points to 12 to lift the league title. This was no easy task as the Havelocks side had two Tongan nationals playing for them in two key positions at No 8 and centre and in addition to this the Park Club had four former Kandy players playing for them.

This last match win over Havelocks Sports Club put Kandy's dilemma to rest as the six points withheld by the SLRFU was no longer required by them in deciding the championship title.

Their only loss this season in the League matches was to Sri Lanka Navy 29-25 at Welisara.

Kandy Sports Club staged a magnificent recovery before time ran out for them (25-29).

Kandy Sports Club were so desperate at one stage that they did not have a regular full back. Winger Mohammed Jabbar had to play in the unaccustomed role of manning the last line of defence. Scrum half Bushan Weeraratne and even winger Dinesh Kumar played as full back, till Old Antonian young Tharindu Chanaka was brought into the side.

Though rugby is a team game one player who stood out was play maker and stand off Fasil Marija who often turned the entire complexion of the game with his blazing runs to end up under the posts. Many were over 70 metres in distance. Apart from this he kicked judicially to relieve pressure and fed the three quarters well.

The team was coached by South African born Johan Taylor with former national ruggerite Kapila Silva as the Team Manager and they had the guidance of former Sri Lanka centre Lasantha Wijesuriya as Chairman of Rugby.

Behind the scenes longstanding President Sarath Kapuwatte and Secretary Leslie de Zoysa were a tower of strength. Trustee Malik Samarawickrema was the God Father figure of the Club speaking to the ruggerites and guiding them with his vast knowledge of the game.

The following were team members of the club:

Kishore Jehan, Achala Perera, Kasun Yasaisuru, Damith Dissanayake, Senaka Bandara, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Kasun de Silva, Asitha Ratnayake, Sajith Saranga, Roshan Weeraratne, Fazil Marija, Gayan Weeraratne, Pradeep Liyanage, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Dinesh Kumar, Prasad Chathuranga, Buddhika Thalagampola (captain), Liston Flatney, Shashika Jayawardena, Amila Prasanna Bandara, Heshan de Silva, Aravinda Udangamuwa, Sanka Rajaguru, Oshan Perera, Tharindu Chanaka, Mohammed Jabber, Kusal Rankothge.