Kandy's contribution to police rugby

Hafiz MARIKAR

When on talks about police rugby, names that come to mind are that of S. Sivendran the first Clifford Cup captain, Anton Benedict, Charles Wijewardene, Bagoos Sourjah, Nimal Lewke, Hafeel Marso, Ibrahim Hamid, Abdul Majeed, Daya Jayasundara, Nizam Hajireen, Hemantha Yatawara, Ajantha Samarakoon, Nizam Jamaldeen, to name a few. At one time the Policemen were invincible, as they recruited top players from schools.

Kandy too has contributed a lot for Police rugby. Over the last two decades, a large number of Kandy school products have donned the "Blue jersey" Police came a long way since that match winning kick of Bagoos Sourjah which brought Police into that famous 1970 cup final, where they beat the star studded CR & FC. That was the turning point of Police rugby.

Police won the coveted Clifford Cup for the first time in 1972 under the leadership of Josephian Anton Benedict. The 1972 Police team was coached by Former Trinity, Kandy SC, CR & FC and Sri Lanka center late Kavan Rambukwella. In that year Police had a superb rugby chairman - Rudra Rajasingham. He too played for Trinity and Kandy Sports Club before joining Colombo clubs.

The first cup winning Police team was led by Anton Benedict, who later led the Havelocks SC and had some of the Kandy players in his Police side, like brilliant wing-three-quarter Bandula Wijesinghe of (Nugawela Central College), Sam Samarasekara (Trinity and Kandy SC), P.S. "Rock: Banda of (Poramadulla Central), P.S. Kularathne (Vidyartha), Juragon Savangam (Trinity), R.M. Lafir (Vidyartha and Kandy SC), Nimal Lewke (St. Sylvester's and Kandy SC), Daya Jayasundara (Dharmaraja and Kandy SC), Nimal Abeyasinghe (St. Annes) and S. Somachandra (Gampola Central).

Most of these players did not play rugby for their schools but learnt the game, after joining the Police. Out of the 1972 team, Nimal Lewke a Senior DIG at present hit the top spot in the field and administration. He was the National Coach, Referees Society President and SLRFU President.

Charles "King" Wijewardene a product of Vidyartha was renowned for his goal kicking prowess, W. D. Dayarathne a top class center was also from (Vidyartha and Kandy SC), Earl and Lucky Peries both from (St. Sylvester's and Kandy SC), Marasinghe Dharmakerthi (St. Anthony's and Kandy SC), Ajantha Samarakoon (Vidyartha/Dharmaraja and Kandy SC), Hemantha Yatawara (Dharmaraja and Kandy SC), Murga Jayarathne (Dharmaraja), Christopher Anderson, (St. Anthony's, Kandy RFC and Kandy SC), Ashad Dole (Kingswood/St. Anthony's and Kandy SC), S. Pathirane (Trinity and Kandy SC).

Out of these players, those who had the privilege of leading the Police team are: DIG Daya Jayasundara, Jurangam Savangam, Bandula Wijesinghe, DIG R.M. Lafir and under the following they won the Clifford Cup-Charles Wijewardene, Nimal Lewke Snr. DIG, ASP Ajantha Samarakoon, Hemantha Yatawara and Murga Jayarathne.

Daya Jayasundara, Anton Benedict and Nimal Lewke not only played representative rugby, but also had the opportunity of blowing the whistle and also coached top schools and clubs.

For the success of Police rugby, Kandy has been providing good players.