Dharmaraja ruggerites hoping for best this season
Hafiz MARIKAR
Dharmaraja College who were one of the most promising rugby outfits
among the schools last year, go into the new season with another top
squad comprising several players from last year.
The previous season was memorable. They won the schools sevens for
the first time. They open the season against home town rivals Trinity
College tomorrow at Pallekelle. Rugby has been the Rajans forte.
However, having been given all the facilities it’s high time the school
produced a xv a side champion team in the run and pass game
R Hettiarchchi who has experience under his belt leads the team this
season. He plays as fly half and much is expected from him and the other
seniors such as S. Jayasinghe, C. Kalinga, T. Sampath, J. Wijasuriya, L.
Fernando, D. Madushanka all were in last year's team.
Dharmaraja, last year did extremely well to head the “B” Group and
this time are hoping to do much better, under new coach Radika
Hettiarchchi who is capable of lifting their rugby. Radika a product of
Dharamraja played for OTSC, Kandy Sports Club, which club he led and
also while at this club he led the country. He made a name at Kandy
Sports Club later played for Air Force SC and Up-Country Lions SC.
His Assistant will be Suboda Kalupe. M.P.K.Hearth is the trainer, the
MIC and rugby coordinator is Saliya Alexander, POG is H Sarath
Abeygunasekara, Last year's coach Nimal Wijesiri will be in charge of
the under 14 and 16 teams this time.
This time the sponsors are Old Boys Union, Old Rajans Rugby Football
Union, and the Old boys unions of Brisbane Australia, London, UK and
Auckland New Zealand and their Colombo Branch.
Rest of the matches are, March 26: Isipathana College, April 5:
Science College, April 26: Kingswood College (William Weerasinghe
Trophy), May 3: St. Peter's College, May 10: Wesley College, May 19:
St.Anthony’s College, June 1: St.Joseph’s College and June 11: Royal
College.
History of rugger at Dharmaraja is necessarly short since the game on
an organized footing commenced only in 1972 thanks to former Thomian
late Lal Kumarasinge. Although the game had been in existence in the
1920’s. It appears to have been abandoned after a player had succumbed
to an injury suffered at a match. Though they started in 1972, by 1976
were able to hold their own against many an established side. The credit
should go to late Lal Kumarasinghe a product of S. Thomas' under whose
able guidance both as coach and MIC, the game came of age and from there
onwards progressed very satisfactorily.
Such standards were reached not by chance but by dedicated services
rendered by many, amongst them are the coaches, like Jadi Disanayake,
Lanil Tenakoon, Sarath Kulatilake, Irwin Howie, Deepal de Soysa, Z.M.
Zarook Viper Gunarthne jnr., Ananda Kasturiachchi, Hemantah Yatawara,
Anil Jayasinghe, Asoka Jayasena, C.S.Ekanayake, Hisham Abdeen, Nimal
Wijasri. Rajans have also produced a galaxy if players such as Col C.S.
Fernando the first Rajan to play for the country, was a coach and a top
class referee better known in the football field. Shanth U Mends, Daya
Jayasundara, Murga Jayarthne, all played for the country without playng
for the school, Ajantha Samarakoon, Hemantha Yatawara, Radika
Hettiarachchi, Cuda Nugawela, A.Daysiri, G. Jayaweera, S. and
G.Thalagoda, Mahesh Weerasinghe, C. Amadooru, C. Jayawickrema, Ruwan
Malawarachchi, Pradeep de Alwis, Indragith Bandanayake, Tilak
Jayasundara, Nuwan Hettiarchchi are some of the players who came to my
mind, there are many more, even the school is finding difficult to get
the history and names of the past. This time four schools from Kandy are
in the big group are, Trinity, St. Anthony’s, Kingswood and Dharmaraja. |
