First Tag Rugby experience for Antonians

Hafiz Marikar

Today, the boys from Katugastota will be at Longden Place to play "TAG" rugby for the first time. Kick off is scheduled for 2.30 pm, and it will go on until mid night under lights, according to the Antonaian Rugby Football Club Chairman N.S.Weerakoon and Nirmal Fernando the Secretary.

Over 300 participants have decided to join the first ever Tag rugby carnival organized by the Antonians. On the side line there will great entertainment for ladies and kids as well. The organizers have booked several buses to leave Katugastota today at 8.30 a.m. to be in Colombo in time.

Antonians took up to rugby long after the schools introduced sports like cricket, boxing hockey, football and athletics. Only in the '1950's did the Antonians take the oval ball to Katugastota, and Bruce Winter became their first rugby captain.

A big hand should go to their great coach in that era, old Trinitian Bobby Jayaweera who spared no pains to teach the Antonians how they should handle the Oval ball.Later Maurice Perera helped in coaching the Antonains.

From the day, they touched the ovalball, the game became very popular. In the early days, it remained just an introduction of the game for quite some time, with no signs of attracting the enthusiasm of youthful Antonians.

Though they started rugby in the 1950's it was only in 1961 that unprecedented enthusiasm was created and rugby received a big boost and backing from all quarters.

Particularly at its inception, many of the leading schools provided the Antonians with the 2nd XV fixtures. It was only in 1962 that the Antonains were able to play against the 1st XV teams.

In fact, that was the first time that Katugastota rugerites played Trinity, Royal and S. Thomas's senior teams. The results of the matches played that year are as follows - Lost to Royal 0-17, Lost to St. Thomas' 0-9, Lost to St. Peter's 3-6, Lost to Trinity 3-14, Lost to Zahira 0-30, Defeated Thurstan 11-8, Defeated St. Joseph's 14-8.

Graduating to 1st xv rugby and in 1962 the team was led by Win Chu Wei, the rest of players were Kenny Duff-Tytler, brothers Upali and Ranjith Fernando, Winston Vanderpooten, Chris Duff-Tytler, Barney Daniel, brothers Charlie and Michael Joseph, Franklyn Paul, Spencer Dias, Tutu Thenuwara, Christy Gomez, lan Fernando, Freddie Baptist. Then in 1963 and 1964 Antoians did well in rugby under Rangith Fernando and Saliya Kulatunge. Both were selected to play for the

Outstation Schools' Team against the Colombo Schools'. Although the 1965 and 1966 teams, led by Michael Macky and Patrick Gunaratne respectively, did not fare well, they nevertheless maintained a high standard of rugby.

Despite not having a regular coach, the 1967 team captained by Basil Hyde, fared quite well, winning only one game and lost the other eight. Four members of this 1967 team namely Basil Hyde, Malcolm Dias, H.M. Kuthdoos and Randy Sims, won their rugby Colors for their outstanding performances during the season.

It was in 1968 that Antonian Rugby showed real maturity, when, for the first time, the team led by H.M. Kuthdoos held the much fancied Trinitians to a 3 all draw at Peradeniya in a block-buster game. During that season St Anthony's won 6 matches beating much fancied teams like St. Joseph's, Royal, St. Peter's, St. Benedict's and S. Thomas', and lost two matches and drew two.

After quite a long wait, the Antonian rugby team enjoyed one of the finest years in rugby, that was in 1972 when for the first time the Antonians were able to beat Trinity College to win 13 - 7 in a nail-biting finish.

That year the Antonains were coached by the famous Havelock SC, Kandy Lake Club and Sri Lanka Center three quarter Maurice de Silva' Thanks should go to E.W.Balasuirya for brining Mauirce to Kandy.

This side was led Tuan Dole. They won seven games against, St. Joseph's, St. Benedict's, Kingswood, S. Thomas, Thurstan and Trinity, and drew with St. Peter's and lost to Royal. The next best rugby season was in 1988, under the captaincy of Leroy Fonseka when they, emerged runners-up to Royal in the schools rugby League Championship. Antonians remained unbeaten, winning nine out of ten matches and drawing the other.

Leroy had the rare distinction of representing the country as a schoolboy at the 11th Rugby Asiad in Hong Kong. In 2001, they won the "Milo" under 19 League championship. Out of all the Antonian Ruggerites Priyantha Ekanayake stands tall and above all is very proud of being the first Antonian to captain the Sri Lanka Rugby Team, and that too for a record ten consecutive years. He also had the privilege of leading the National team for four consecutive Asiad's a record yet to be broken.

According to records the under mentioned are those who Captained St. Anthony's since 1960-Andre Titus, 1961-Winchu Wei, 1962-Winchu Wei, 1963-Ranjith Fernando/Saliya Kulatunga, 1964-Saliya Kulatunga, 1965-Michael Macky, 1966-Patrick Gunaratne, 1967-Basil Hyde, 1968-H.M. Kuthdoos, 1969-John Henry, 1970-Peter Corteling, 1971-Steve De Silva, 1972-Tuan Dole 1973-Jeffrey Paul, 1974-Arshad Dole-Mohammed Ali, 1975-Sarath Fernando, 1976-Nihal Gunaratne, 1977-Selvin Bulathsinghala, 1978-Haren Goonawardena / Reinzie Martinez, 1979-Hubert Harley, 1980-Baratha Seneviratne, 1981-L. V. Ekanayake, 1982-Mohammed Nazaar, 1983-Channa De Costa, 1984-Priyantha Ekanayake, 1985-Mohammed Naliff, 1986-Sanjaya Amunugama, 1987-Senaka Kaluarachchi, 1988-Leroy Fonseka, 1989-Shanitha Fernando, 1990-Rohan Jayasundera, 1991-Lasantha Wijesuriya, 1992-Lalantha Karunatilleke, 1993-Chaminda Marasinghe, 1994-Suranga Kodituwakku, 1995-Malith Silva, 1996-Sameera Silva, 1997-Amila Kulatunga, 1998-Iranga Dissanayake/Isuru Herath, 1999-Salman Kuthdoos, 2000-Ashan Cooray, 2001-Tikiri Dissanayake, 2002-Asela Rajaguru, 2003-Suranga Swarnatilake, 2004-Imran Bistamin, 2005-Shaheer Reyal, 2006-Sanjaya Rjaguru, 2007-Kusal Rankothge, 2008-Chanaka Gunarathene, 2009-Amila Weligampola, 2010-Tharindu Chanaka, 2011-Sanke Rajaguru, 2012-Panduka Angamana.