Yu Cey Chang ruggerite and administrator par excellence
Source:Dailynews
Yu Cey Chang was a top class rugby player considered by many to be the greatest front row forward . He was a superb ball handler. His overall ability combined with his inspirational leadership and outstanding sportsmanship. He polished his rugby in Kandy at Kandy SC as a player and can be considered as one of the finest exponents of all time in the country with a sound track record, both as a player and administrator in Sri Lanka’s rugby history. Yu Cey Chang started his schooling at Carey College and later joined Trinity College, where he excelled in cricket as a ‘stumper’ at junior level and played junior rugby. He never played for the senior school rugby side. It was at club rugby he shone and was rated as a top front-row forward
He played Under17 rugger for his school in Kandy in1959/60. Soon after school he joined Havelock Sports Club in 1961 and played till1963 and thereafter after taking up planting joined Kandy SC in1964 and was there till 1970.
He gave his best for the Nittawela club and captained the club in 1967, 1968 and half way during the season in1970, that year captain was Denzil Kobbekaduwa , but he was taken back to the Army.
Chang was Secretary of the Kandy SC in 1968 and 1971 and did a good job with limited facilities. He left for Colombo once again after giving up planting. and joined the CH and FC, representing the Maitland Crescent club as player and coach.
He captained the side in 1972 and gave his best to win the League title that year winning 11 matches out of 14 and were deprived of the Rugby Double when they went down fighting to Police by 9-12 in the Clifford Cup final.
He captained the Sri Lanka team at the Asiad in Hong Kong in 1972. In 1974YC was tipped to lead the country at the Asiad which was played in Colombo for the first time. But he was deprived of the captaincy on disciplinary grounds by the Union when as captain of CH & FC he led the side off the field before the final whistle against Havelocks when the park club was leading 10-3 as a protest against alleged unfair decisions by the referee.
On the contrary, players of today get away with some of the worst offences and are pardoned irrespective of the charges and lead the country too.
It was at Havelock SC that YC went on to be recognized as one of the best rugby players in the country at that time.
He played along with top players like Nimal Maralande, Dr. Hubert Aloysius, Ken de Joodt, Mike de Alwis, Conrad Ephraums, Maurice Anghie, Dr. Trevor Anghie, G.Sumanasekera and Gamini Fernando to name a few. But it was at Kandy Sports Club that he earned more fame as an excellent player, leader and helped the club to enter the Clifford Cup final after14 years in 1969 under the leadership of Denzil Kobbekaduwa when they went down to CR and FC by 6-12. As president of the SLRFU from 1985 to 1988 he did a lot to promote the game and helped clubs to obtain sponsors.
Chang organised tours for the national team which gave them the much needed foreign exposure including a historic tour of Wales in October 1987 and shifted the venue of the Clifford Cup to Kandy in 1986 to give rugby fans in Kandy a chance of witnessing top class rugby.
