Thursday 26th April, 2012 15

BY RAVI NAGAHAWATTE

idyartha College is experi- Schools rugby logbook encing a boom in rugby and what’s Vgreat is that there is a lot of help for the boys wearing the double blue and yellow jerseys to cement their place in Group A of the Division 1 Tournament. The Kandy school has a couple of big boys who look ferocious and coach Anil Jayasinghe says that given how they Vidyartha ‘Tigers’ on played against Isipatana in the maiden fixture in 15-a-side rugby this season, last week, the team should provide some shocks this season. That match ended in a thrilling 19-all draw and Jayasinghe is happy about the the prowl this season performance, because everybody rated the Green Shirts as the favourite team to walk away with the match. But if you perform an analysis on Vidyartha’s start to the 2012 rugby season, that perform- ance against Isipatana is no flash in the pan. “Vidyartha met Isipatana twice this season in sevens rugby and we beat them on both occasions. Those past experi- ences against Isipatana this season would have tremendously helped the boys to build their confidence. The other reason behind that great performance is that the school has 11 seniors, who helped them win the Division 1 Group B last season and earn promotion to the top group in the league,” explained Jayasinghe. Vidyartha doesn’t enjoy the best of facilities when compared to other popu- lar rugby playing schools. However, what’s inspiring is that a group compris- ing old boys, parents and well-wishers has made a commitment to help the school’s rugby set-up and work towards this cause through an organization called the Vidyartha Rugby Development Group. The best thing that has happened through this service provided by the group is that the school is able to spend on a nutrition programme for the players and fund the gym sessions which are done at Kandy Sports Club, in Nittawela, under the watchful eyes of Vijitha Jason Dissanayake (Capt) Bandara. “Rugby is an expensive sport,” affirms Jayasinghe, who quit refereeing and took to coaching because it is a more lucrative occupation. But there are other reasons for Jayasinghe, an old boy of Vidyartha, to have said ‘yes’ to Vidyartha College authorities when they were looking for a coach, three years ago. “After I left Vidyartha in 1984, I hadn’t done anything Coach Anil Jayasinghe (extreme left) gives instructions to the players before the match against Isipatana (Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi) for college. So I grabbed the opportunity to serve the school as rugby coach when sent into oblivion, as fast as possible,” is a huge culture for rugby in the school standard of refereeing in they approached me. I asked for three said Jayasinghe has also coached top which also offers the opportunity for stu- should be lifted a few notches because years to produce some results and I teams like Trinity and Dharmaraja. dents to try their hand at 17 other disci- schools spend a lot on rugby and a team believe this (his third year with the boys), Vidyartha started playing rugby in plines. Vidyartha’s recent success in should not lose a match, due mistakes will be Vidyartha’s year to remember in 1968 and since then have produced top rugby has had a positive effect on the made by a referee. school rugby,” affirmed Jayasinghe. players and rugby personalities like school’s rugby and now parents are very Jason Dissanayake, who was a mem- Jayasinghe has a dedicated bunch of Sunil Munasinghe, Charles Wijewardene, eager to send their children to play rugby. ber of the Sri Lanka youth rugby team is players - known as ‘Tigers’ in the school T. B. Wijesinghe, Athula Manchanayake, After all, everybody knows that if you the captain of the side and has rugby scene - who commenced training in General H. M. N. Krishnaratne (SLRFU play rugby for school, you are assured of Dhanushka Talwatte as his deputy. October last year, for the 2012 season. Council Member), Rohana Bandara, a career with a top club and also a good So the period Jayasinghe requested to There are about 35 members in the pool Viper Guneratne (senior) and present job,” said Jayasinghe. The boys playing be involved with Vidyartha rugby will and as a result, the school is now in a national player, Sumedha Malawana. rugby at Vidyartha get all the encourage- come to an end this season. He has pulled position to field a Second XV side apart The biggest problem faced over the ment from the Principal P. T. N. Alwis them out of the woods, which was Group from the traditional Under-18 and 16 years by Vidyartha was that more afflu- and Ananda Upatissa, who serves as the B, and this season all signs point out that teams which are set to contest all-island ent schools were poaching their players. Master-in-Charge. Vidyartha will rewrite the school rugby tournaments. “One big challenge is to get Some of the players they produced such The veteran coach is impressed with record books. “We have the potential to as Saliya Kumara, Suranga Sri Lanka rugby when compared to other them to accept that the agonizing wait in finish among the top four teams,” opined Pushpakumara and Anurudhdha Asian teams which contest the annual Group B is over and that they are now in Jayasinghe, who is also an IRB educator Willawara were snapped up by other Under-20 Asian Championships. “We are Group A with the best teams and they for referees and also a Coach Match schools. “Vidyartha College is no more a just behind Japan and Hong Kong in jun- have to get on with it. Those memories Official of the Asian Rugby Football that we were once in Group B have to be nursery after I took over as coach. There ior rugby,” he said. Dhanushka Talwatte (Vice captain) He was also quick to point out that the Union Panel. Rain interrupted Joe-Pete Mohan de Silva elected President, CDCA Former the game of crick- Chrisantha de Silva. Cricket and SSC stalwart Mohan et in the adminis- President: Mohan de Silva rugby encounter on May 4 de Silva was unanimously elected trative district of Vice Presidents: Abu Fuard, BY CHATHURA PINNAWALA the Vesak week as an ideal avenue to was ready to play the match as early President of the District Colombo. Mazher Fazleali, Jayantha replay the match. If the match was to as the next day (April 21), but St. Cricket Association, at their AGM Today, it stands The SLSRFA (Sri Lanka Schools Paranathala and Sarath be played at a later date, it would Peter’s weren’t delighted with that as held on March 31 at the Colombo as the most Rugby Football Association) has Abeysundera. have caused many problems. The their coach had to leave the country Cricket Club Pavilion. Mohan De vibrant and decided to replay what turned out General Secretary: Bandula points table would have been affected for a funeral and due to an issue Silva was an excellent all round strongest of the what was not to be the curtain-raiser Dissanayake too, with two schools playing a match about the availability of the venue. cricketer in his days and repre- District Cricket of the Schools Rugby Division I-A Treasurer: Kavindra less,” he said. The match, which was scheduled sented Ananda College, Colombo Associations affil- season between St. Peter’s College Mohan de Liyanage Both schools have given the green for April 20 and contested for the Fr. and Singhalese Sports Club with iated to Sri Lanka and St. Joseph’s College, on May 4. Silva Assistant Secretary: light to and the match will be on. The Basil Wiratunga Memorial Shield for distinction, before moving on to Cricket and they The association has already Samantha Dodanwela St. Joseph’s College rugby advisory the 42nd occasion, was marred by cricket administration. have been conducting tourna- informed the two schools about their Assistant Treasurer: M. committee and school authorities rain, transforming the St. Peter’s He succeeds another great ments consecutively for the past decision and SLSRFA secretary Rajasingham confirmed to ‘The Island’ that they College grounds into a small lake cricket administrator, Nuski 16 years, where more than 60 Susantha Mendis said that it was in Members: A. R. M. Aroos have already agreed to the date while and referee Aruna Jayasekara, after Mohamed, the current Treasurer clubs have benefited. the best interests of all to replay the and Senarath Alwis St. Peter’s Rugby Master-in-Charge, the final inspection at 4.25 pm had to of Sri Lanka Cricket. Former The CDCA will be celebrating match during the earliest possible Tournament Committee: Sunil Aponso also reiterated that abandon the match due to “poor Tournament Committee its Silver Jubilee this year and window available. “Both schools they have no problem with regard to playing conditions and heavy light- Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket, plans are afoot to organize many Aruna de Silva (Chairman), being Catholic schools, we found that the new date. Initially,St. Joseph’s ning.” Bandula Dissanayake was re- events to coincide with the cele- Sulaiman Yousoof (Secretary), elected General Secretary and brations. I. D. Ariyawansa, M. Kavindra Liyanage, Member, Wijesinghe and Indika Galagoda Tournament Committee of Sri The following were elected Selection Committee: Musaeus College All-Island Under-15 hockey champions Lanka Cricket, was elected as Office-bearers: Michael de Zoysa (Chairman), Treasurer. Patron: Upali Dharmadasa Godfrey Dabrera, Denham The Colombo District Cricket Vice Patrons: Thilanga Cramer and M. Nazir Association is the first District Sumathipala, A. J. M. Sponsorship Committee: Cricket Association which was Muzammil, Michael de Zoysa, Lucian Merinnege, Khuzaima established in 1987 with the objec- Hussein T. Fazleabbas, Shammi Mansoor Alibhoy and Mizra tive of promoting and fostering Silva, Uvais Samsudeen and Fajudeen.

Coca Cola sponsors Chris Gunarathne table tennis championships The annual Chris The table tennis women’s singles respectively. Gunarathne memorial Open All- fraternity is of the 2010 National Men’s singles run- island Table Tennis opinion that a ner-up Nirmala Jayasinghe has Championship has attracted a mercantile been rated as the bottom seed sponsorship from Coca Cola, giant like Coca while Erandi Warusavithana has which promotes its product Cola committing been rated as the bottom seed in under the catch line; Supporting itself as sponsor is the women’s singles. Active, Healthy Lifestyles. healthy for table tennis. Vidyartha College schoolboy According to a release issued Table tennis experts also Udaya Ranasinghe has been by the Table Tennis Association opine that Sri Lanka’s recent rated as the top seed in the boy’s of Sri Lanka (TTASL) the spon- successes at the World Team open singles while Erandi sorship for this tournament has Front row L-R: Dinithi Sathyapala (Captain), Mrs. Nimal Etipola (PTI), Mrs. C. Jayathilaka (Deputy Championships have started to Warusavithana is the bottom been arranged by newly appoint- Principal), Mrs. S. Dandeniya (Principal), Mrs. Sharmali Jayarathna (PoG), Mrs. Shamya Gunawardana and pay dividends in terms of find- seed. ed TTASL Vice President and MP Tharushi Bomulla (Vice Captain). Second row L-R: Anuraththara Jayasekara, Thesmi Gunasekara, Dasuni ing sponsors. The most outstanding player for Kegalle District Kanaka Fernando, Harini Adikaram, Lithma Kumaradasa and Shinya Pieris. Back row L-R: Rashmi Rathnayaka, Herath. Herath also serves the Rohan Sirisena and Ishara in the men’s and women’s divi- Himadri Mayadunne, Sachinthya Rajapaksa, Lakmini Wilson, Amisha Gunadasa, Senuri Rodrigo, Heshani TTASL as Chairman of the Madurangi have been rated as sions respectively will be pre- Jayalath and Chatumi Rambukwella. (Absent): Sajani Ramanayaka (Pic by Kamal Wanniarachchi) Tournament Committee. the top seeds in the men’s and sented with special awards. (RN)