Kandy’s rugby lovers are happy over the appointment of two Kandy school products Anil Jayasinghe and Ishanka Abeyakoon to officiate in the Asia Rugby division one tournament first game between Kazakhstan and Qatar which will be played on April 30 at Racecourse rugby grounds.
Anil Jayasinghe who learnt his rugby at Vidyartha College is a person who did his best for the game as a player, coach and referee. A man who lives just adjoining the Nitawella rugby grounds played rugby and cricket for his school Vidyartha College and also led the two teams. in 1984 He also played for Outstation Schools, Kandy Sports Club and Up-Country, He was also in the national pool and led Kandy Sports Club and Up-Country. He led the Up-Country side against Hong Kong under 24 where the Hong Kong side beat Up-Country by 23 points to 13 at Bogambara. Anil Jayasinghe gave his best in rugby for Kandy Sports Club, for nearly 15 years. . He also gave his best for the Sri Lanka Rugby Referees Society and also for Central Province Rugby Football Union. He was a committee member of the Kandy Sports Club. Anil Jayaisnghe after saying goodbye as a player took up refereeing, in 1992, his first game as referee was between CH and FC and Petersons SC., and he has refereed over three hundred games.
As a referee he has accompanied the Sri Lanka rugby team overseas and also has blown in overseas tournaments, including three internationals. He is a World Rugby Educator and Match Official for the Referees Society of Sri Lanka and Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU). As a coach he has guided Vidyartha College,Dharmaraja College, Trinity College and Kandy Sports Club. He also has followed coaching courses in Scotland, Ishanka Abeyakoon a product of Nugawela Central College was an intelligent player and is a high ranked young referee at present. He has been named to referee in the opening game between Qatar and Kazakhstan Ishanka Abeykoon, officiated in the Rosslyn Park Sevens and Borneo Sevens, has refereed many school and club games and also the 75th Bradby Shield game.
He attended a referees’ workshop and officiated the Plate final at Borneo Sevens. He coached Trinity College juniors before being picked as a referee He refereed in the Rosslyn Park Sevens in the United Kingdom in 2017.
by Hafiz Marikar