KANDY SPORTS ROUND UP
Kandy Sports Club scrum-half Roshan Weeraratne will captain the Sri Lanka XV a side rugby team in the forthcoming Asian Rugby Championship. This tournament is scheduled to take place from the 14 to 20 May in Ipoh, Malaysia. Other teams involved are Malaysia, Philippines and United Arab Emirates. Sri Lanka’s matches are on 14 May vs Philippines, on 17 May vs UAE and on 20 May vs Malaysia. The Sri Lanka team is expected to leave on May 11. Roshan 28 learnt his rugby at Kingswood College and first played for Kandy SC in 2009 and has captained the side twice. He has been a part of six league winning teams and was also in the Clifford Cup, Sevens winning teams and triple champion outfit. Rest of the Kandy SC players in the squad are Ganuka Dissanayake, Suhiru Anthony, Damith Dissanayake, Fazil Marija, Jayson Dissanayake, Danushka Ranjan, Richard Dharmapala, Lavanga Perera and Thilina Wijesinghe.
Gayan misses trials
Gayan Weeraratne, who was tipped to be selected for the Asian rugby championship tour to Malaysia, had to skip practices due to flu. Thus Roshan Weeraratne will not have the services of his brother Gayan. This may be the first time the two brothers will not be seen in action together.
Athlete Kotakadeniya chief guest
The annual Colours awarding ceremony of St. Sylvester's College was held a few days back at the school hall under the distinguished patronage of one of their old boys Air Vice Marshal HMSKB “Sagara” Kotakadeniya, who was a top class athlete. While at school he was provincial and national athlete. Born 27 June 1965 he joined the Air Force in 1985, and took part in athletics and at present is the Air Force Cycling president.
Fazil to step down from National 15’s
Fazil Marija (born 2 December 1985), one of Sri Lanka's finest rugby payers and one of Asia’s best, has decided to step down from national XV a side rugby after the Asian tournament in Malaysia.
Fazil comes from a sporting family background, with at least 17 members through two generations having represented various clubs, services teams and national teams during the past four decades. He mastered his rugby skills at Kingswood College, played for his school from U-13 to U-20. In 2004 he led his school as unbeaten triple champions in 2004. He first represented Sri Lanka in 2000. That year he toured for the first time with Sri Lanka National U16 team for the Junior Rugby Asiad. While still at school, in 2003 he was called up by SLRFU to be on the starting lineup in the match against touring Hong Kong at Nittawela. In 2004 he started his club rugby with Kandy SC in their second round match against Havelock SC at Nittawela. The same season he played in the Clifford cup knockouts. He led his club, which gave him all the needed backing in two different years to win the league and knockouts in 2010 and 2015. He is hoping to play another inter club season. Fazil has won numerous rugby awards for his excellence in the field. In 2007 and 2009, he became the Most Outstanding Player of the Year, in 2009 he was also recognised as the ‘Best Three Quarter’, in 2011 he became the ‘Best Ruggerite of the Year’ and in 2012 he became ‘Best Fly Half of the Year’.
Peradeniya Univesity to field a strong side
Peradeniya University is placed in Group “A” in the 13th inter-university cricket tournament, which is expected to commence today where 12 universities will be seen in action. The tournament will be a 50-over affair. The 12 teams will be divided into four groups; the top two teams of each group will play in the knockouts.
DM Dharmathilake trophy
Plans are afoot by the Old Rajans Colombo branch to award a trophy in the name of one of the oldest living Rajans D M Dharmathilake for the yeoman services he is rendering for the school and sports. He, can be seen at every sporting event, let it be cricket, rugby, football, hockey or athletics. The trophy will be for a sporting event.
Antonian-Kingswood rugby clash
St. Anthony's who beat Vidyartha in their first “Plate” championship game last week will scrum down with Kingswood today at the Bogambara Stadium at 4.30 pm.
The Kingwoodians who went down to their rivals Dharmaraja in their last outing have effected key changes in their starting line for this clash, which has the ingredients of turning out to being a thriller. The Antonians are well in form after their last win and should play out their open brand of rugby. Kingswood too will be addressing themselves to the game with equal determination.
Rajans have edge over Vidyartha
The confrontation between the high riding Dharmaraja and Vidyartha ruggerites at Nittawela on Sunday points out to be a battle between the Rajans three-quarters and Vidyartha forwards. Rajans who are playing well, will depend heavily on their backs to deliver the goods, they are the ones who have paved the way for their last win against Kingswood.
Vidyartha are with a very young side, and in most of the matches they have done their best in the first four minutes, but in the second forty minutes have failed to keep it going. In this game their forwards will have a big say in their play.
Ex-cricketer Thilina is PC sports minister
Cricketer-turned-politician Thilina Tennakoon on Tuesday was appointed as minister in which sports is included by President Maithripala Sirisena. Central Province was badly in need of a sports minister who can give a hand to promote sports.
Thilina played cricket for Dharmaraja College and later for BRC and was one time KDCA and CPCA president. He is the son of sports promoter late Yasaratne Tennakoon and son in law of sportsman and promoter late Shelton Ranaraja who were both ministers.
CPRFU AGM
The Central Province Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby in Central Province which is headed by well-known rugby player and promoter Iswan Omar.
The AGM is to be held end of this month and Omar is likely to retain his position as president. The CPRFU was established in 1992 in accordance with the SLRFU guidelines and constitution. At its peak in 2002 the CPRFU included top clubs Kandy SC, Dimbulla A & CC, Dickoya Maskeliya CC, Peradeniya University, OTSC and Kandy Youth SC, all of whom have at one time or another competed in the ‘A’ Division competition. Today only Kandy SC is alive.
The CPRFU also embarked in forming ‘B’ division clubs, which included Katugastota RFC, Polgolla RFC, Mawilmada RFC, Matale RFC, Nuwara Eliya RFC and Pilimatalawa RFC and by 2008 had 18 clubs playing in the up-country rugby league. At the time late Maurice Perera was the president and the present president was the secretary.
During that time 52 schools engaged in rugby apart from the Schools Association schools teams Trinity, Kingswood, St. Anthony’s, Dharmaraja, St Sylvester’s and Vidyartha.
Kandy schools ready for U-17 cricket
According to information 74 school teams have been divided into ten groups to play in the Schools Division I school under 17 cricket tournament which will get underway in a few days time. Kingswood and Trinity are in Group “G”, Vidyartha, St Anthony’s, Dharmaraja, Sri Rahula and Sri Sumangala (St. Paul’s) are in Group “H”.
The under 15 Division I tournament is expected to start end of this month where 81 teams are divided in 11 groups. In group “H” are St.Sylvester’s, Vidyartha and Trinity and in Group “J” Kingswood, St Anthony’s and Dharmaraja,
Golf tourney
The Mark Bostock memorial golf tournament will take place at Victoria Golf Course on the last Saturday and Sunday of May. This tournament is played for the Mark Bostock Memorial Trophy and is one of the most looked forward to golf event with top golfers in action.
Kingswood win over and under 40 cricket trophies (Sub)
The Kingswood and Dharmaraja old boys over and under 40 cricket tournament, was played at the Lake View grounds last Sunday where, both matches were T20 affairs.
The over 40 match for the PL Arthur Alwis and Clifford Ratnavibushana memorial trophy went in favor of Old Kingswoodians who scored 106 for 3 in 12.3 overs in reply to Old Rajans 104 for 7 in 20 overs. Kingswoodians won by 7 wickets, thanks to Old Kingswoodian S Madanayake who made a solid 56 not out and also took two wickets.
The under 40 game too went in favor of the Kingswoodians and they were awarded the Nazar Razak memorial trophy. Old Kingswoodians in their allocated overs made 189 for 7 and bundled the Rajans out for 76 in 13.4 overs.
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