Jeff de Jong - Scintillating Star Rugby Flanker
Sporting personalities with Ken de Joodt:
SPORTING PERSONALITIES: At this time of the year when the
local rugby season is virtually forgotten, it was a joyful and memorable
occasion to 'run' into another "unforgettable" Sri Lankan, a 'cheerful'
Burgher ruggerite, who is on a brief visit to his 'motherland' - (after
'Burghering-off' to Australia, some years ago!).
While in Sri Lanka, 'Off' the field - he added much value to the
Havelocks 'mantlepiece' with his frequent "Cheers!" but "On" on the
field, his invaluable contribution to the 'grand game' of Rugby,
illuminated many playing fields in the country!
Jeff de Jong
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Some rugby fans in the sixties and seventies, were 'star-gazing' - at
the splendour of the rugby played by a constellation of 'moving-Stars' -
on the earth below.
Among them was this scintillating 'Star' Flanker - the former St.
Peter's College Colombo, Havelocks Sports Club and Sri Lanka Rugby
Captain - Jeff de Jong!
Jeff distinguished himself as a classy, robust rugby player, when he
started playing as 'flying' Flanker for St. Peter's College from 1969
and went on to Captain the team in 1972. His 'crash-tackles' and
splendid 'open-side' wing-forward play often had 'star-players' in the
opposition, seeing stars!!
He said, he owes his success in Rugby to his first Coach, Archibald
Perera, as a longstanding, dedicated perfectionist, who guided him and
many other brilliant players on the right paths, with the disciplined
implementation of the 'basics' in rugby.
St. Peter's were 'unofficial' School Rugby Champions in 1972, having
lost only to Trinity College, Kandy, with former Kandy Sports Club and
Sri Lanka Captain, Trinity "Lion" Irwin Howie, by a slender margin but
winning the rest of the games.
Jeff de Jong had the honour of captaining the Colombo Schools versus
the Outstation Schools and the Combined Schools Rugby XV against the Sri
Lanka Universities, leading both teams to victory in 1972.
It was absolutely unique that THREE sets of brothers played in the
1972 Peterite Rugby team, the 1st set - Jeff de Jong (Captain, 'Star'
Flanker, now domiciled in Australia) and Travis de Jong (an outstanding
Hooker, presently a leading Exporter of Tropical fish).
2nd set - Noel Van Langenberg (hard-working Prop-forward, now in
California USA) and Michael Van Langenberg (dashing Flanker and
currently in Australia) 3rd set - Rohan Weeratunga and Nalin Weeratunga
(both classy Centre-threes, now in USA). This can certainly be counted
as another 'record' for the "Guinness Book of World Records".
To make-up the rest of this 'match-winning' team, were - a brilliant
Scrum-half Ronald Rodrigo (a former Air Force Rugby Captain and
presently a Senior Pastor serving the Lord Jesus Christ in Australia),
Fly-half with a safe pair of hands - Roy Dias (former Sri Lanka's
brilliant Test Cricketer), a rugged Prop-forward - Earl Serpanchy
(presently in Australia), splendid Second-rowers - Nimal Jayasuriya
(currently Maj. General Sri Lanka Army) and Anura Gunatilleke (now
living in Venice), and agile big-made No. 8 - Jan Van Twest (a top Hotel
Manager down South), fastest Wing Threes - David Nicolle (presently
Director Galadari Hotel) and Shirley Thambinayagam (now residing in the
USA) and a 'safe-as-houses' Full-back - Neil Peiris (living in
Australia).
He recalled, with glee in his eye, his remarkable feat in Athletics
whilst in College. It happened at the Inter-house Athletic Meet, when he
was suddenly summoned by the athletic coach to participate in the 1,500
metre race.
He little realised that he had to compete with his younger brother
Travis, who was the favourite 'runner' to win the 1500 metres. At the
time Jeff was called, he was 'running around' in his rugby attire and
did not 'fancy' the idea.
However, without much hesitation, his response was to take to the
Starter's orders 'get on your marks' - Jeff was ready for the 'set and
for the race of his life'.
With the sound of the 'bang' from the pistol, he took off like a
Gazelle and completed the 1500 metres in an 'unbelievable' New Record
time of 4 minutes 22 seconds... a school Record that has not been broken
to this day. As a fine 'sporty' younger brother Travis was overjoyed
with his elder brother's effort but was flabbergasted at the result.
Jeff also had his own methods of staying fit and built-up the
essential strength to play effectively in a bustling, bruising game of
Rugby, as a devastating Flanker.
Through serious, regular training and mastering the basic skills of
tackling, handling the ball, precise positional play and good team-work,
enabled him to earn a place in the Sri Lanka rugby team from 1974 to
'79.
He participated in two ASIADs, the first in 1974 in Colombo, under
the versatile captaincy of Indrajit Coomarasamy and again in 1978, held
in Malaysia. In the Hong Kong Sevens Tournament in 1977, Jeff was
appointed the Captain.
He played with other superb Captains such as, the outstanding CR&FC
Captain and prop-forward, Haji Omar, plus other outstanding players
like, Reggie Bartholomeusz, Anton Benedict, Angelo Wickremaratne, Mohan
Balasuriya, Michael Jayasekera, Irwin Howie, Hafi Abdeen, Ronald
Rodrigo, Desmond Harridge, Isham Abdeen and many more.
Before migrating to Australia in 1986, Jeff had the glorious
opportunity to play for the Havelocks Rugby XV from 1973 to 1979,
Captaining the team in 1977 and winning the Clifford Cup. In the same
year, Jeff was selected to Captain the Sri Lanka 'Sevens' team to Hong
Kong.
It was Jeff's delight to recount his 'special-moments' when he donned
the popular salmon pink and chocolate brown 'Havies' jersey, playing in
his first year 1973, under the captaincy of a tantalizing inside
three-quarter Jeff Ratnam.
When Desmond Harridge captained 'Havies' in 1974, Jeff had some great
experiences of 'disciplined coaching' with Gamini Fernando, a former
splendid 'swashbuckling' Havelocks and Sri Lanka wing-forward, to see
Havelocks in the 'Cup-final' beating the CR&FC, led by 'speedy winger'
Reggie Bartholomeusz, to win the Clifford Cup.
In 1975 Jeff played his third year for Havelocks, with Shafie
Jainudeen as Captain and Gamini Fernando as Coach, unfortunately
'missing out' on the Clifford Cup. Refreshingly, 1976 saw Havelocks
regain the Clifford Cup, magnificently led to victory by Thajone
Savanghan, the Havelocks Captain, coached by Dickie Jayetilleke former
Sri Lanka and 'Havies' super Scrum-half.
1977 was a memorable, eventful year, when the vibrant wing-Forward
Jeff de Jong Captained the Havelocks, to win the Clifford Cup, coached
by former Sri Lanka Inside-three and Full-back Ken de Joodt, a Trinity
Captain and "Lion".
Jeff played once again in the following year 1978, when Anton
Benedict captained the Havelocks team and Jeff played his vital part to
enable 'Havies' to be "Triple Champions", for the first time ever,
winning the 'Sevens', 'Clifford Cup' and the 'Knock-out' tournaments.
1979 was Jeff's final year of his superb 'Star-studded' Rugby playing
career.
In his usual determined 'gutty' manner, he gave off his best to help
bring victory to the Havelocks, led by a dazzling No. 8 and flanker,
Jeffrey Yu, another Trinity "Lion" and Captain - thereby winning the
prestigious "Clifford Cup".
Jeff decided to 'hang up his playing boots' and launched out to
'direct' the laws of the game to others by 'taking to the whistle' and
refereeing in the 'A' Division of the Clifford Cup Rugby Tournaments
from 1980 to 1986. He had a successful Referee's 'sojourn' and then
decided it was time to go by the 'rules of life'.
So with a long blast of the whistle he ruled himself out of his
'bachelor-life' and believed he should respond as the answer to a
'Maiden's Prayer'. With no time lost he 'flanked' out and achieved his
best 'Try' in real life and rightly focussed on the greater 'goal of
life'.
Jeff married "Katy" Neliya (nee Patternott - sister of the "famous
four" Patternott brothers, Patrick, then three grand ruggerites and
Cricketers, Aubrey, Rodney, Hemish - and a sister Patricia). They
produced two children, Griffith (a son, 22 years of age) and Neliya (Jnr.)
a daughter at 'sweet 16'.
Since they married on the 17th of October 1981, it was time for
'celebrations' this year, as it was their "Silver Wedding" (25th
anniversary - 1981 to 2006), which they did with family and friends in
Melbourne, Australia.
Jeff remembers with deep gratitude and heartfelt sentiments, how his
dedicated father Herbert de Jong (who, sad to say - passed away in 1994,
at the age of 78 yrs) and his sweet mother Quida (much alive and
'kicking' at 81 years), made it their sincere 'mission' to be present at
every Rugby match Jeff and Travis played in, be it Colombo or
outstation.
Their infinite faith in a true and living God, helped them to spread
their wings of love, concern, care and encouragement over Jeff (now 53
years) and his three brothers, Ralph (58 yrs), Travis (51 yrs) and
Graham, (45 yrs).
With much love and gratefulness, Jeff also extends his "Thanks a
million" to his pretty wife Neliya and their two children Griffith and
Neliya (Jnr.), for enabling him to sustain success in life, especially
when it is a situation to maintain a 'home away from home' in Australia.
With such a wide circle of friends in Sri Lanka and his popularity as
a 'past' leading ruggerite, Jeff de Jong certainly loves and misses Sri
Lanka. It is hard to 'match' the good fund and wonderful hospitality of
dear friends and the love of family-members.
Despite the 'current' complicated country 'complex', Jeff prayerfully
hopes that Sri Lanka's 'future' will look bright if only the people will
seek our God's intervention and ask for God's 'miracles' that will bring
divine harmony and peace to this beautiful island of Sri Lanka.
As it is said in the Word of God, to those who believe - "With men it
is impossible, but with God All things are possible" (Mark 10:27), even
for Sri Lanka... Jeff's parting words was from a Christian saying "More
things are wrought by Prayer, than this world dreams of".... which he
believed in his playing days as an outstanding Sporting Personality and
still does. |