Congratulations SLRFU !

Hafiz Marikar

Congratulations to the SLRFU, Officials headed by Asanga Senavirthne and the Sri Lanka team led by Yoshitha Rajapaksa for the wonderful showing in the in the Asian Five Nations rugby tournament.

Sri Lanka team made the Country proud by emerging as the Asian Five Nations kings. They beat all the teams starting with Chines Taipei, then Thailand, and in the deciding game beat Kazakhstan for the first time. It was enjoyable rugby in all the days at the Havelocks Park.

The matches were well organized. People forget the part played by the officials. Thanks to the SLRFU’s Secretary Rizly Illiyas, CEO Rohan Gunarthne and the rest in the committee, and also not forgetting Dilroy Fernando.

They conducted matches providing the best facilities available for players, invitees, spectators. It’s most appropriate that rugby loving public including the club and players said a big thank you to the SLRFU headed by Asanga Senivirathne for a wonderful job done at the Havelock Park.

Veteran planters

During these games, I met some of the veteran planters of the caliber of Mike de Alwis, Y.C.Chang both who led the country and other distinguished rugby players such as Trevor Nugawela, Iswan Omar, Sunil Wickremasinghe, Lanil Tenakoon and a host of rugby fans and sports lovers. The discussions between us was in respect of rugby becoming very popular like in the past where rugby was in vogue and the matches were hot spots with fashions, different styles to galore, the SLRFU big man who has also witnessed these episodes during his youth is once bringing back the glory days in a more professional aspect.

Rugby the glamour sport of today, was introduced to us by the Englishmen way back in 1879 – 5 years later the game was first played in England. Today the game of rugby has changed tremendously from what it was (134 years) one hundred and thirty four years ago.

Very high standard - sub head

In the early days rugby was mostly played in the hill country among the British planters at a very high standard at club level, but now sad to say the game is no longer played compared to those days in Badulla, Darawella and Radella grounds except for a few rugby 7’s events annually.

The SLRFU boss Asanga Seneviratne is now contemplating of reviving these clubs and to find sources to come forward and give a fillip to these clubs. Once again for the second consecutive year Asanga heads the Governing body to promote and spread the game of rugby Island wide to raise its former glory .

Basically rugby players who have played the game at any stage and enjoyed so much will naturally want to be on the ball and support it at all cost if there is proper guidance and enthusiasm by the Provincial Unions.

Satisfaction that matters

What matters after all is the satisfaction one gets. This is what it’s all about. Today rugby has become a very competitive game. Standards have improved when compare to rugby played in the early days.

Over here in the hills, form the 1990’s the three top clubs have more or less faded away, except for Kandy Sports Club, the two clubs Old Trinitians SC, and Kandy Youth SC started the game and folded up quickly for reasons best known to the then SLRFU management which is sad.

The University of Peradeniya at one time played in the “A” division now don’t play.

Rugby flourished in the planting sector mainly due to the planter’s influence which at that time was compared to horse racing in UK. In the past even the Clifford Cup finals was played at Radella, Darawella or at Badulla to keep the game alive and promote it among the locals.

Past records

According to the past records, rugby was taken very seriously, specially by the planting community. In 1908 when the Ceylon Rugby Football Union was formed there were only six clubs, CH & FC, Dimbulla ACC, Dickoya MCC, Uva Gymkhana Club, Kandy S.C and Kalutara SC.

The first ever club rugby game was played between two Up-Country Clubs Dickoya MCC and Dimbulla ACC on September 11, 1880, with Dickoya MCC winning the game by 9 points to 3. Sad to say now these teams which started club rugby are no more in the game. It is high time these clubs come back to play the game of rugby.

Dimbulla ACC was founded in 1856, and they were a major force in rugby after the Clifford Cup was introduced to clubs in 1950, Dimbulla ACC is the first club from the hills to win the Clifford Cup in 1953 – then in 1965 combined Dimbulla/Dickoya called themselves Dim-Dicks were second to CR & FC in the Clifford Cup competition.

They shared the cup - sub head

Then in 1959 Dimbulla shared the cup with CR & FC. Then in 1970 Dimbualla ACC under the leadership Ken Murray emerged as League champions and were deprived of the double, when they lost to Police 0-6 in the semifinals.

Dickoya MCC was formed in 1874. They two were one of the top rugby clubs in Ceylon. They entered the Clifford Cup finals in 1958 went down to CR & FC and in 1961 lost to Havelock SC.

Uva another old club were also the first to enter the Clifford Cup finals from Up-Country that was in 1952 and lost to CR & FC by 19 points to nil.

The game of rugby in Sri Lanka has a history dating back to over a 100 years. Its popularity reached a zenith in the 1950s through the 1980s. Since then the game has hit the top today. Every school is on the oval shape ball. One should never forget the contribution made by classy rugby reporters of the caliber of M.B.Marjan, Austin Daniel, Mohommed V. Muhsin, Premanath Mores, Ranil Weerasinghe and M.E. Marikar.

And those were also the days when there were rugby crazy individuals who would spend their own money and precious time making champion club teams. Such men were Kishin Butani who helped CH and FC win many a trophy and former ruggerite Malik Samarawickrema.

Pity that Butani is lost to the game at present.

Malik Samarawickrema is still in the scrum and doing wonders for Kandy Sports Club who have been dominating the club rugby scene for several years winning all trophies on offer. Y.C.Chang too gives a hand to Havelock SC together with Gamini Fernando.