Johan Taylor will be back again for Kandy Sports Club

Hafiz Marikar

Johan Taylor will once again coach the defending champions Kandy Sports Club, in the coming rugby season. Currently he is on vacation in South Africa and will move over to Ireland for Christmas.

He is expected back in Sri Lanka after the clubs AGM at the end of January 2012.

Johan first came to Sri Lanka in 2007 on the initiative and coordination by Malik Samarawickrema and Iswan Omar who were in constant touch to promote the coaching assignment with an invitation from Kandy Sports Club. Originally, this assignment was offered to his team mate Dan Van Zle former - scrum half and skipper - South Africa National Rugby team 2000. But Dan Van Zle had to decline having obtained a lucrative coaching assignment with the "Kings Hospital Junior Cup" team and Carlow County Club in Ireland on a five year contract.

Coaching

However, he recommended and even certified that his team mate Johan Taylor would be better than him having followed all coaching training programs in Ireland with a Level 3 certificate with wide experience undertaking coaching assignments with County Clubs and Institutions alongside with Dan Van Zle. He further said that Johan was a highly committed, dedicated coach, always up grading himself with the latest rugby training programs and techniques.

At Kandy he clicked well since 2007 and continues to do so even today with invaluable support from Malik Samarawickrema, Dr. Sarath Kapuwatte, the Rugby Committee and players.

His advice to players and his guidance has always been that there is no substitute for hard work and discipline comes from self-belief, as there are no short cuts.

'Dedication is something you have to instill in yourself because nobody else is going to do it for you.

Since taking over the coaching of Kandy Sports Club, they have emerged as the Caltex Champions - Caltex League / Clifford Cup / SLRFU 7's in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Assignment

Johan Taylor was on a coaching assignment with the Sri Lanka National team in 2008 in the Five Nations ARFU (Qualifying) tournament in Singapore where his team was successful in winning the tournament and been promoted to the next level of the Asian Rugby Football Union standings.

Johan is loved by all rugby loving public in Kandy and elsewhere. During his leisure time helps school teams and have even officiated as Referee in school fixtures when the official referee was not available.

Kandy Sports Club is also thankful to coaches like Rtd DIG Nimal

Leweke the man who helped the club to win the triple for the first time, Alex Lazarus who coached in 1992, George Simpkin, Chris Paddy, Priyantha Ekanayake helped them to win the sevens for the first time, T. Laga, Maurice Perera who was ther for a long spell and helped the club to reach the cup finals in 1969, Irwin Howiee in 1978, C. H Senavirthne, Sarath Zoysa. Lasantha Wijesuriya to continue.

Lasantha Wijesuriya the former St. Anthony's College, CH and FC, Kandy Sports Club and Sri Lanka center-three-quarter, will continue as Rugby Chairman for another term. Lasantha Wijesuriya did a fantastic job in the last couple of seasons as Rugby Chairman. He knows how to move with the players and get the best out of them. He kept the players together and got the best results.

Kapila Silva Manager for 2012

Kapila Silva the team Manager, too will continue in the new season. Kapila a product of Isipthana College played for CR & FC, Kandy Sports Club and the Country. Kapila has been giving his best for the team in the last couple of years as the team manager.

Sponsors Singer and Etisalat

Singer Sri Lanka who have been with Kandy Sports Club for many years. It was non other than Hemaka Amarasuirya who was the man behind and has been helping the club in big way. Then there was Asitha Abeyasekara who continued the good work of Hemaka and also the new comers Etisalat gives good support, through Dumindra Ratnayake, Riyas Rasheed, Sanjeewa Samarasinghe, Gamika de Silva and Dinusha Karandawatte and Nimal Peries.