Smooth sailing by Navy piloted by Yoshitha

Hafiz Marikar

Navy Sports Club’s great rise in rugby as a major ‘player’ was because of the fierce competition from its foremost opponents Kandy Sports Club, Havelock SC, CR & FC, CH & FC, Army SC, Air force SC, Police SC.

Navy SC is one of the mysteries of Club rugby in recent times. The dedication of the players, discipline, quality of its players has helped in its rise. This is chiefly because the young Navy players enjoy the toughness of the game and its appeal.

The game has now become very popular and the backing they get from their superiors is what really made the sailors a formidable force in the league tournament this season.

They started the 2011 tournament with a dazzling performance and continue to keep its hopes high for the Clifford Cup knockout tournament under the able leadership of former Thomian skipper Lieutenant Yoshitha Rajapaksa.

It was good talent and experience which made the sailors an interesting outfit in the past three years. Packed with no less than 12 experienced players, they were placed two in the Caltex league competition 2011, although they suffer from a shortage of quality players, the Navy SC has made brave efforts to put together a competitive side in the Caltex League and now will concentrate on the next tournament the Clifford Cup 2011.

Last year they entered the finals and lost to Kandy SC.

Navy SC has entered the Clifford Cup finals on three occasions, after they were promoted to the ‘A’ division in 1975. Sailors made a roaring entry to big time rugby after their promotion in 1975. That year they were led by P.L.B. Nandasiri, and they confronted the previous year’s Clifford Cup champions Havelock SC in the curtain raiser of the league, and very nearly created the biggest upset for the season.

The sailors were leading 10-9 till last minute try by no. 8 Jeffery Yu enabled the Park Club to scrape through to victory by 13-10.

Then in the return the sailors held the Park club to a 15 all draw, and also scored an impressive 10-nil win over the Police.

Last year 2010 they lost to Kandy Sports Club, so they have entered the Clifford Cup finals on three occasions.

First time

It was in 1976 the sailors entered the Clifford Cup final for the first time with a stunning 15-3 win over CH & FC in the semi-final but lost to Havelock SC 3-15 in the final. Although they were outclassed by the polished technique of the Havelock SC, the sailors were worthy runners-up with an excellent team effort.

The first cup final team was from, Alex Pereira, a product of Christian Kings College Tupelo. The rest of the players were P.L.B.

Nondairy, R. Anthony, H.A. Ramanayake, T.M.F. Sherifdeen (uncle of present fly half Dev Ananda and coach Ronnie Ibrahim), N.K.

Nandasiri, L.P. Perera, U.C. Perera, M. Nazeer, Somapala Perera, M.T.S.R. Perera, G. Gunawansa, S. Radakrishna, J.M. Wadiyarathne and Bin Galiph gave their best to make the Navy SC a force to be reckoned with in 1975 and 1976. The finest season for the sailors was in 1989, under the coaching of Brian Baptist and the team led by Kandy product Parakrama Samaraweera stormed into the Clifford Cup final by knocking out Havelock SC and Police SC in the Quarters and the semis respectively before going down fighting (3-6) to CR & FC in the final in that year.

The sailors were rewarded when some of their players, L.B. Nandasiri, Anthony Radakrishna, H.A. Ramanayake, Lal Wijesiri a Kandy product, and Hilmy Saheed were picked to play for the national team on the tour of Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei.

That year the Navy ruggerites made history with both teams ‘A’ & ‘B’ entering the finals. The ‘A’ side met CR & FC and the ‘B’ side Navy Dreadnaughts met Police Griffins.

‘A’ side

The ‘A’ side was made out of players such as Susantha Fernando, Jagath Priyaratne, Sampath Peiris, Parakrama Samaraweera (Capt), Donald Dayaratne, H.G.N. Wijerathne, N.K.D. Nanayakkara, Pradeep Dabare, Mahinda Ratne, Jiffery Jamilon, Lal Wijesiri, K.P.L. Nissanka, Hilmy Saheed, Chulaka Herath and Bin Galiph.

The ‘B’ team was made up of K. Kaluarachchi, U.L.K. de Silva, Sujeewa Silva, Neville Samaraweera, Asoka Perera, Palitha Hatharaliyadde, M. Abdeen, N. Navarathne (Capt), P.H.N. Wijerathne, M.

Kamaldeen, S. Kudahetti, Amal Perera, and lost the final 0-9.

At present rugby is no fun game and Navy SC ruggerites don’t need to be educated in what it demands. It’s probably the only sport that the Sailors could go places despite the limited potential.

Overall success of the sailors is due to the incentives provided to develop strong team work with knowledgeable players and the application of professional approach of their coach Ronni Ibrahim a product of Kandy who has proved himself both with schools and the National U/20 coaching for the Asiad.

Ronnie gives of his best at all times.

A refreshing fact about the present Navy SC side is that their forwards show a good degree of stamina, weight, strength and the forwards and backs are mobile. This year the sailors have raised many eyebrows after they beat the defending Caltex Premier Rugby League Champions Kandy Sports Club at Welisara in the second round league championship.

Unbeaten record

Navy SC finally broke the unbeaten record of the Kandy Sports Club beating them by 29 points to 25 points after a thrilling encounter.

Led by former Thomian player Lieutenant Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the Navy beat the Kandy Sports Club and sent them packing.

Navy SC played 10 games won seven, lost two, and drew one. Scored 27 tries, nine conversions, 17 penalties, 6 drops which gave them 22 points against 158 and earned 42 points.

The sailors led by flank forward Yoshitha Rajapaksa became the top team from Colombo, in this year’s league competition with fine performances. This is a rare feat achieved for the first time, to be the number two in the prestigious Caltex Rugby League tournament the premier rugby tournament in Sri Lanka.

The pride of the sailors were their forwards. They had two solid props in Pumal Manchanayake and Sathya Ranasinghe. Hooker former Thomian skipper Namal Rajapaksa a knowledgeable player who has captained the National U/20 in the Asiad with huge success, struck the ball with lighting speed against the current National players. He was excellent with his loose play. He is a good power player and he knows to keep the players together, that has helped the sailors in a big way. The two towering second rowers Sumedha Malawana and Kalana Amarasinghe leapt high and were outstanding in loose play.

Their fast breaking flankers skipper Yoshitha Rajapaksa and Dhanushka Perera were there to always hound in the loose ball and were solid in defence and finally the No. 8 Bilal Hassan gave of his best. The manner in which the Navy forwards played was an example to other clubs. Scrum half Suranga Pushpakumara was outstanding. Fly half Dev Ananda was the match winner with his boots. He was excellent and helped the side to pocket more and more points with his drop goals.

Centres

Centres Dinesh Chathuranga and Kosala Tissera gave of their best.

Wingers Samantha Lakshan and M.E.R.C Silva were adequate, but could have done better with their powerful forwards winning them good ball not only from the scrums and line outs but also from the rucks and mauls to set up the second phase attacks.

Navy’s last line of defence was well manned by their fullback Dulip Methruwan. The others who gave a big hand were, Nilufer Ibrahim, Hamza Hassan, M. Abzal, Naveen Wijetunga, Sathya Ranathunga, Danushka Fernando, Suhuru Anthony, Saranga Senavirathne, Dulanjan Wijesinghe, Shalinda Chandarasegara, Kalana Amarasinghe, Danushka Sandaruwan, M. Izzadeen, Chula Susantha, Rushan Deen. The Sailors played some beautiful run and pass rugby this season thanks to the players who were well coached and guided by Ronnie Ibrahim, who took over in 2009, from the day he took over he has done a good job, and has helped the sailors to play quality rugger.

Best of support

He is all-out to give of his best for the team to be winners and bring a trophy to the cabinet very soon. Ronnie first played for Kandy Sports Club and coached his school Kingswood College. He got the best of support from the higher officers, and was well backed by Rugby Chairman Commodore J.D Amaranayake, Sub Lt. A.W.R.C. Laxman the Secretary, Team Manager P.N.D. Kaluarachchi, Trainer Panda Wijeratne and Rangana Tharanga who gave a big hand.

Also Physio A.L.N. Iroshana. Team and overall backing came from Rear Admiral S.A.M.J Perera Senior Coordinator Navy rugby Navy in the past has produced some top players of the calibre of Harsha Mayadunne who was one time player coach and later became the President of the SLRFU, Malcolm Marshal, Harsha Mayadunne, N.K.D. Nanayakara, N.K. Nandasiri, Lal Wijesiri, Jiffery Jamilon, P.L.B. Nandasiri, H.G.N. Wijerathne, J.M. Wadiyarathne, Bin Galiph, M. Nazeer, T.M.F. Sherifdeen, Somapala Perera. Anthony Radakrishna, Panda Wijerathne, A.S.D. Fernando, M. Saldin, Rangith Hemantha, H.M.P, Perera, K.G.A. Indrajith, M. Hilmy, Y.M.S. Ratnayake, H.A. Ramanayake, Kalu Perera, Parakrama Samaraweera, P.G. Mahindarathne are some of the players who came to my mind.