Top club ruggerites rewarded

Sri Lanka's top rugby players were rewarded for their excellence in the League Rugby Tournament 2012 in the Dialog Rugby Awards 2012 held at Waters Edge,

The winners were picked based on their performance at the 2012 inter-club rugby season. Havelocks Sports Club received their award for being the league champions for 2012 and the Kandy Sports Club collected their Knock-out trophy. Havelocks Sports Club was topped this season after a wait of 30 years to clinch the rugby trophy.

Three teams were nominated for the Most Promising Team for 2012. The gallant forces, Police and Army made some admirable performances in the season, in every occasion they stepped on to the arena. However, the new entrant Up Country Lions ran out worthy winners as they came up with some sterling displays in the season.

A lot of young and talented players came into the limelight this year and the award for the "Future Player of the year" went to the Kandy SC's front row forward and former Kingswoodian Heshan Kalhara Silva. Heshan has a been a tower of strength for the Kandy SC this year having played a vital part in the front row.

The biggest award of the ceremony "The Dialog Rugby Player of the year 2012" was bagged by current Sri Lanka player and former junior national skipper Shenal Dias of Havelocks Sports Club. The ex-Peterite had an extraordinary year for both his club and national team. The awards were presented by President of SLRFU Asanga Seneviratne, Director/ Group Chief Executive Dialog Axiata PLC and Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

The 2012 Dialog Rugby League Champions Havelocks Sports Club team with their respective trophies at the Dialog Rugby Awards 2012. SLRFU President Asanga Seneviratne and Dialog Axiata Group Chief Marketing Officer Amali Nanayakkara look on. Pictures by Susantha Wijegunasekara


Mithun Hapugodage of Havelocks Sports Club receiving the award for Best winger in the Dialog Rugby awards 2012 from former Sri Lanka Rugby Captain Summa Navaratnam.	Heshan Kalhara Silva of Kandy Sports Club receiving the Future Player of the year award from Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage.	Kandy SC Player and Sri Lanka sevens skipper Fazil Marija receiving his award for best Fly Half from Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage. Dialog Axiata Group Chief Executive Hans Wijesuriya looks on.

Best Prop – Dushmantha Priya darshana (Havelocks)
Best Hooker – Namal Rajapakse (Navy)
Best Lock- Shenal Dias (Havelocks)
Best Flanker – Sudharshan Muth uthanthri (Havelocks)
Best Number Eight- Diren Warnakulasuriya (Havelocks)
Best Scrum Half – Roshan Weeraratne (Kandy )
Best Fly Half – Fazil Marija (Kandy )
Best Centre – Dinusha Chathuranga (Navy)
Best Wing-three quarter – Mithun Hapugodage (Havelocks)
Best Full Back – Mohammed Sheriff (Navy SC)
Highest try scorer – Sitiveni Kunaga and Saliya Handapangoda (Army)
Best place kicker – Upali Wickramasinghe (Army)
Best Coach – Inthi Marikar (Up Country Lions)
Best Manager – Rajiv Perera (Havelocks)
Best Trainer – Mothilal Jayatilleke (Havelocks)
Best Foreign Player – Aitui Nissan (Havelocks)