Byron Fernando, remarkable ruggerite from Trinity-by Hafiz Marikar

Source:Dailynews

Byron Fernando was one of the top rugger players to come out of Trinity College. He was a hard attacking forward and one of the six rugby Lions. He won the Lion title along with Ravi Bandaranayke, T.R. Panabokke,

L.S. Pilapitiya. B.S.S. Fernando, Roshan Ratwatte, and Dilip Adihetty. These are some of the players who gave their best to regained the Bradby Shield after four years. Byron led the Trinitians in 1982, and had a sensational Bradby Series, becoming a household name. He is the only Trinity player/captain to single handedly scored all the points for Trinity in both legs and retain the Bradby Shield 9-6. Byron scored all the points comprising two penalties and a drop goal while at the second leg at Nittawela, Trinity won 6-4 with Byron scoring two penalties. He was also a top basketball player, and led the side in 1981 when Trinity emerged as Central Province Schools Basketball Champions. Had basketball been a recognized colors and Lion awarding sport at Trinity, he may have been a Double Lionsmen as well. For the first instance that the Old Trinitians Rugby Scrummage elected a chairman who was living overseas, that was Byron.

He was a top class number eight forward and led the side to win the coveted Bradby shield and Canon De Saram trophy. Under his leadership Trinity’s unbeaten run was only tarnished by Isipathana skippered by Dilroy Fernando. Under Byron Fernando, it was another good side coached by late Lt. Col. Bertie Dias and the master in charge was S. Ariyasingham. His son Lakshman Ariyasingham played as a wing three in the same team, and the principal of that era was late Rev.Dr. W,G, Wickremasinghe.

That season this is how they fared beat St. Peters 10-6, S. Thomas’ 12-6, St. Joseph’s’ 16-4, Wesley 19-4, Thurstan 24-0, St. Anthony’s 7-0, Vidyartha 23-3, Dharmaraja 28-3, Ananda 29-3, lost to Isipathana 3-7 and under his leadership beat Royal led by Hiran Muttiah in both legs 9-6 and 6-4. He was the chief guest of the 75th Bradby Shield encounter.

Some of his team mates in 1981/82 were Devapriya Perera, Pradeep Adihetty, Ravi Bandaranayake, Ravi Ponabalam, Yungha Suan, Nihal Gunawardene, Kumar Bulathsinhala, Jayantissa Kehelpenala, Roshan Rattwatte, Lakshman Ariyasingam, Lalith Pilapitiya. Ashan Ratwatte, M. Fazari, Ananda Wickremasinghe, Amal Fernando, to name a few.