Achala Perera the utility player-by Althaf Nawaz

Source:Dailynews

One should possess some special talent and maintain a good physique to occupy multiple positions in the game of rugby football. Achala Anurudda Perera was a player who was blessed with a stocky build which enabled him to play a key role as a utility player which saw him reach the pinnacle handling the oval shaped ball. Achala Perera was born in 1985 to a humble family in the vicinity of Kandy. His father Tissa Perera worked overseas from his younger days and mother Sriyani Tennakoon was a house wife who was instrumental in taking care of him during his school career. He has one sister Nadeeka Anuradhi who also has a rugby background. She represented Kandy and Havelocks women’s rugby teams.

He started his school career with Kingswood College, Kandy in 1995 and completed in 2004. He had never thought of representing National level as a sportsman when he was a child. Hardships and challenges

were encountered during his childhood and one day when he was in Grade six, one of his school mates Anuradha Gunasekara dragged him to play the sport called rugby. There, he saw the oval shaped ball for the first time in his life and things began to change since then. He began his rugby career in Grade six merely out of curiosity. The journey began there as he never expected becoming the captain of the under-13 team within a few months. He continued to captain the under-15 team as well. He learnt the basics of this amazing game from his coach Asela Muthumala. They became the under-17 All Island Champions (captained the team) in 2003/04 seasons.

Gradually while maturing as a great player, he was included in the college first XV team from 2001 to 2004 and played under the captaincies of Dinesh Siriwimala and Fazil Marija. They became the champions in 2004 at the All Island Tournament. He occupied several positions starting as a hooker, Prop, Centre three quarter and number eight . He represented the under-16 school National team in 2001 which won the Plate Championship. He donned the under-19 National jersey in the 2002/03 seasons.

After his illustrious school career, he opted to continue playing rugby and joined CH and FC in 2005 and surged ahead till 2009 where he went on to lead them in 2009, which ultimately became his last season there. He then crossed over to his hometown team Kandy Sports Club to scrum down from 2010

to 2012, where in 2010/11 season they became champions. He once again swapped clubs for his own betterment to join the Navy team from 2013 to 2015. During his tenure there they became champions in 2013. His club rugby concluded after he locked horns for Police in the 2015/16 season. While he

was competing at CH in 2007, he was called for National duty and played in the 2007 Rugby Asiad when Sri Lanka emerged runners up to Kazakhstan losing 17 -24 and continued to represent the Sri Lanka team until 2015 while participating in the Rugby Asiads from 2010 to 2015 .

After hanging up his boots, he began his coaching career in the year 2016 with Thurstan College as head coach. Under his guidance they won the Plate Championship in the 2016/17 season. In 2018, he assumed duty as forwards coach with S. Thomas, Mount Lavinia under Bilal Yusuf as head coach. Next year, he joined Zahira, Colombo once again as a forward coach under Collin Dinesh as head coach. He would like to extend his sincere gratitude to the few individuals who contributed immensely to transform him as a top rugby player from the time he handled the oval shaped ball. This includes Ananda Kasthuriarachchi, A. C. Tennakoon,G B Gunadasa and Mothilal Jayathilaka. He would also like to mention the fact that he was absolutely blessed to be a part of a wonderful school team, where they learnt respect, playing as a team never having selfish moti ves. They were part of a golden era of Sri

Lankan school rugby, and without halting there it went on the same way up-to the National level. It was this sport which taught him perseverance, patience, flexibility and to respect the fellow players, where they were

always willing to learn. He assumes that humility is the fundamental truth in reaching out greater heights in life. Unfortunately, which is not witnessed today with the current sports personalities.

Above all, he says if not for his mother Sriyani, he wouldn’t have never achieved all that he achieved today. She single-handedly brought him up facing all the tough times in life. He is there because of his mother’s contribution. His wife is Chiranthi Wijeratne who stood as a pillar of strength in his good and bad days and they have two children Shaviv and Ethan.