St. Anthony’s College Kandy is a school which is a force to be reckoned with in school rugby, this school has produced some top rugger teams and players, from the day they took up the game. Antonians took to rugby long after they played sports like cricket, boxing hockey, football and athletics. Only in the ‘1950’s they took an interest in the game of rugby with Bruce Winter as the first captain. The side was coached first by famous Trinity College product Bobby Jayaweera whodid his best and later Maurice Perera, Maurice de Silva,Lucky Vitharane Kalu Perera, Ajith Fernando, Iswan Omar, Priyantha Gunarthne, Nihal Viper Gunaratne are some who helped in coaching.
From the day, they handled the oval shaped ball, the game became very popular. Though they started rugby in the 1950's it was only in 1961 that unprecedented enthusiasm was created and rugby received a big boost and backing from all quarters. Particularly at its inception, many of the leading schools provided the Antonian's with the second XV fixtures. It was only in 1962 that theAntonians were able to play against the first XV teams. In fact, that was the first time they played Trinity, Royal and S. Thomas's senior teams. Graduating to 1st xv rugby in 1962 the team was led by Win ChuWei.
Then in 1963 and 1964 Antonians did well in rugby under Ranjith Fernando and Saliya Kulatunge. The 1965 and 1966 teams, led by Michael Macky and Patrick Gunaratne maintained a high standard of rugby. The 1967 team was captained by Basil Hyde, Then in 1968they showed real maturity when, for the first time, led by H.M. Kuthdoos they held the much fancied Trinitians to a 3 all draw.
After quite a long wait, the Antonian rugby team enjoyed one of the finest years in 1972 when for the first time the Antonians were able to beat TrinityCollege 13 – 7 in a nail-biting finish. That year the Antonain's were coached famous Sri Lanka Centre three quarter Maurice de Silva. Thi sside was led by Tuan Dole. They won seven games lost one to Royal 15 -23 and drew one. The next best rugby season was in 1988, under the captaincy of Leroy Fonseka when they, emerged runners-up to Royal in the schools rugby League Championship. Then in 2001, they won the Milo under 19 League championship. under the leadership of Tikiri Dissanayake by beating Isipathana 13-10 in the decider
Out of all the Antonian Ruggerites Priyantha Ekanayake stands tall and above all being the first Antonian to captain the Sri Lanka Rugby Team, and that too for a record ten consecutive years including four consecutive Asiads a record yet to be broken.
Some of the outstanding past players are Andre Titus and Charlie Joseph, M H A Kaffer, Win Chu Wai, Gavin Stevens, Christopher Koelmeyer, Denzil Halangoda, Upali Fernando, Linton Vanstarrax, Mike Joseph, KenDuff-Tytler, Mohan Ratwatte, Niyas Majeed, N. Vander Pooten, W Wijeratne, S Mulholland, John Emmanuel, S. Dunuwille, Franklyn Paul, Ranjith Fernando, Walter Lodewyke, Christy Gomes, Tom Thenuwara, S. Kadirgamaraj, Ronnie Bolling, Chris Duff-Tytler, Wilmot Wijeratne, Barney Daniel, Travis Baptist, Michael Macky, Saliya Kulatunga, Franklyn Paul, Ernest Tissera, Elmo Joachim, Patrick Gunaratne, Chan Fa Ching, Peter Corteling, Michael Drieberg, Chris Anderson, Geoffrey Paul, Steve de Silva,Basil Hyde, Malcolm Dias, H.M. Kuthdoos ,Randy Sims, Paul Offen, Ronnie Pandithasekara, S. Piyasena, Tuan Dole, Maxi Vancuylenberg, Geoff Paul, Rohan Thambinayagam, D. Dharmakeerthi, Hilmy Jainudeen, Russell de Silva. Thusitha Dharmaratne, , Ajith Fernando, Abaya Rajaguru, Ranjith Karunathilake, Tyrone Rosairo, Ian Lodewyke, D.H.Rajaguru, Shanmuganathan, Dayananda De Silva, M. Sevagan, Nimal Malagamuwa,CP P Raj, Clement Fernando, C.Kaluarachchi, W. Waidyaratne, P.Piyasena, Kalu Perera, Ashad Dole, M. Ali, Sarath Fernando, -Nihal Viper Gunaratne, Selvin Bulathsinghala, Haren Goonawardene, Rienzie Martinesz, Hubert Harley, Baratha Seneviratne, L. V. Ekanayake, M. Nazar, Channa De Costa, Priyantha Ekanayake, Maurice Joachim, M. Naliff, Sanjaya Amunugama, Senaka Kaluarachchi, Leroy Fonseka, Shanitha Fernando, Rohan Jayasundera, Lalantha Karunatilleke, Chaminda Marasinghe, Suranga Kodituwakku, Malith Silva, Sameera Silva, Amila Kulatunga, Iranga Dissanayake, Isuru Herath, Salman Kuthdoos, Ashan Cooray, Tikiri Dissanayake, Asela Rajaguru, Suranga Swarnatilake, Imran Bistamin, Mark Steven, Shaheer Reyal, Sanjaya Rajaguru, Imad Reyal, Kusal Rankothge, Chanaka Gunaratne, Amila Weligampola, Tharindu Chanaka, Panduka Angammana, Damien Wijasiri, Biumal Fernando, Jeewa Jayasiri, Suresh Kaasi,Channa Seneviratne, Jude Pillai, Pradeep Liyanage, Pradeep Fernando, Edward Wijesuriya, Nuwan Chamara, Samuel Maduwantha, Shashika Jayawardene, NewmanDilan, Tharindu Chanaka. Danush Dayan, Dinuk Amerasinghe, Charles Praveen, Yakoob Ali, Iqubal Shabheer, Tuan Waseem, M. Makarim, M. Shabeer, Ishara Liyanage.
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