Foreign coach for Antonians

S M Jiffrey Abdeen- Kandy Sports Correspondent

St Anthony's College, Katugastota will engage the services of a foreign rugby coach to boost its rugby and this coach is expected to arrive at the college to take up duties today.

A function to receive this rugby coach from New Zealand will be held on Friday at 1.30 pm with all pomp and pageantry.

During the past two seasons the Antonian has been not what it had been over the years and they narrowly missed being demoted to the lower division.

The Antonians first played rugby in 1955 when this game was introduced by the then Principal the late Rev FR Rasati with former. All Ceylon, Trinity College and Kandy Sports Club prop forward Maurice Perera as its first coach.

They had to wait until 1972 to record their first ever win over their traditional rivals Trinity College which they did under Tuan Zarook Dole. They glory days was in the 1990's and in the turn of the century when they won several championship titles including the Singer. Sri Lankan schools Rugby Sevens.

One of the finest ruggerites to come out of the portals of St. Anthony's College was rugby legend flanker Priyantha Ekanayake who captained Sri Lanka at four Rugby Asiads, a record which is still unsurpassed. As a player he was one of the key figures to turn around Kandy Sports Club as a winning combination and under his captaincy Kandy SC won the Rugby Double. He later became the President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union before taking a break from the game.

It is understood that the schools rugby wing had taken stock of the situation during the past few seasons had decided that concrete steps should be taken to take rugby at St Anthony's College to its glory days and as a first step for the first time in its history had brought down a foreign rugby coach.

They are likely to start the pre-season training early. They are also likely to bring back their Former Coach Priyantha Gunaratne while last season's Senior Coach Sanjay Amunugama will handle the juniors. The Antonians are still playing in the top division but they have had very close misses of being demoted.