DOWN MEMORY LANE-Havelocks Proud Rugby History-Memories by Hafiz Marikar

Havlocks Sports Club

Havelock Sports Club will be celebrating their 105th year. A club which has a long and cherished history and rugby is the club’s main sporting activity. The “Havies”, as they are known, is situated in Colombo and the club’s ground is known as Havelock Park. And it is one of the famous and friendliest club’s in the country. This club has produced some excellent ruggerites and Committee members who have given of their best on and off the field.

Havelock Sports Club has been playing rugger for well over ninety five years and has a proud history. Not only have they produced champion teams in the early days, they have also served the cause of Sri Lanka rugby. Historically, in fact, success came routinely to the 1915-founded club in rugby, though they played Football, Hockey and also cue sport. This Club is one of the premier rugby playing clubs in Sri Lanka with a history of rich traditions and they are one of the oldest. Havelock Park was opened in 1901. It was a sandy pitch until 1915 when the Havelock Sports Club was formed under Dr. V.R. Schokman as its first president. The club took to rugby in 1920 with Col. E.H.Joseph as its president and J.C.A. Prins as secretary. They won the inaugural inter-club Clifford Cup tournament in 1950, led by Ian Labrooy and won it in 1951 too – and in both years the Havelock Sports Club goal line was not crossed.

The 1950/51 team included the four Aldon brothers, all of whom were three quarters. Among the others were Dr. C O Foenander, Eustace Matthysz and Dr Bob Sourjah. B.S.Hanricus, H.E.V. Metzelling, S.B.Pilapitiya, V. Kelly, A. Drieberg, I. Bartholameusz, L. Eprhums, D. Ernest and D.K. Goonawardene.

The final placing of the League – Havelock SC played seven won all games, scored 100 points for and against 6 (one drop and a penalty) points and gained 14 points in their seven games, two points ahead of the nearest rival CH and FC. Third team in the league was CR and FC followed by Dimbulla ACC, Kandy SC, Uva Gymkhana Club, Dickoya MCC.

In the early days, they also played Football and Hockey and dominated football at one time. Today these two games have been neglected. Havelocks came out of a slump in early`1960s, thanks mainly to a some of the fine young players from Trinity College turning out up for the club among the enlistments of young Trinitians was Ken de Joodt the famous back division player who deserves the honorary life membership of this club, He was the 1959 Trinity skipper. It was to CR and FC that some of these ruggerites from Kandy joined. Not happy with the treatment at practices some of the players joined the Park Club.

The Havelock Sports Club then changed to pretty much something of an Old Peterites club, including as it did a majority of schoolboy players from St Peters College, Trinitians very rarely joined the Havies. The finest package of yesteryear Trinity schoolboy talent that landed at the Park Club were Nimal Maralande, Mike de Alwis, Ken de Joodt, Nihal Dias de Singhe, Vernon Boteju and Ana Medonza. After their entry, the Havelock Sports Club ended a ten-year drought when in 1961, under the leadership of Dr Hubert Aloysius, they won the Clifford Cup. The 1960s was Havelock Sports Clubs most glorious period winning the League in 1961 and 63 under Lorenz Sumanasekera, 1964 under Dickey Jayatilleke, 1967 Gamini Fernando and 1968 Noel Brohier. Then in 1970’s too produced five successes 1970 joint champions with the Police S.S. under Jeff Ratnam, 1974 under Desmond Harridge, 1976 under Thajone Savanghan, 1977 Jeff de Jong and 1978 triple champions under Anton Benedict.

In 1980 under Frank Hubert the Havies won the knockout but not the league. In 1981 Led by Angelo Wickremarthne won the triple – Sevens, Clifford Cup and the President’s Trophy. Won Sevens Championship twice – “A” and “B” winning Cup finals. 1984: Won SLRFU President’s Trophy – since then the Park Club had not won a major trophy, although clinching the 7’s in 1986, 1987, 1995, 2000 and 2003. Their next league win was in 2012 after thirty one long years.

When speaking about the Havelock SC one cannot forget the contributions made by some of the stalwarts – Ian Labroy first Clifford cup winning captain, R. Sourjah, F. Aldons, E. Mathayasz, L. Ephraums, S.B. Pilapitiya, D.K. Goonawardene, J. Rodriguesz, Gamini Fernando, Y.C. Chang, Quentin Israel, Denzil Kobbekkduwa, Dr. Hubert Aloysius, Nimal Maralande, M.L. Sourjah, Lal Silva, Gogi Tilakarthne, Tyrone Hodenbottle, S. Sundaralingam, Cavern Gauder, F. Caldera, Nilam Saleem, Dickie Jayatilake, Frankie David, Lucky Witharne, Travis de Jong, Ana Saranapala, Rodney de Silva, I. Hamid, Noel Brohier, Jupana Jayawardene, Glen Vlengenberg, Maurice de Silva, Raja Dias Sumanasekara, Maurice Fairweather, Randy Pietersz (the first Isipathanian to play for the country). Hiran Fernando, M.N. Shockman, Frank Hubert, Hanzil Samad, Shafi Jainudeen, Thajone Savanghan, Hisham Abdeen, Ratnam brothers Jeff and Dan, Roshan Deen, Hazari Hameed, Lal Silva, Wimal Senanayke, Orville Fernando, Ravi Mendis, Dilroy Fernando, Jeffrey Yu, Jeffrey de Jong, Anton Benedict, Lanil Tennekoon, Rajiv Sorneratnam, Alex Chanaka, Michael Jayasekara, P.L. Munaisnghe, Thusitha Peries, Leonard de Zilva, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Ravi Ganapathy, Omar Sheriff, M.P.F Saly, Desmond Harridge, Marco de Silva, T.V. Morseth, Y.S. Ping, D. Selvaraj. David Nicolle, Kolitha Gunatilleke, Anura Uduwellagedera, N.H. Karunaena. Tony Amith, Thusitha Peries, Chaminda Rupasinghe, Jeffrey Sahid, Sandy Hameed , Kavinda Jayasena, Washim Thajudeen are some of the earlier players.

Last Saturday they held their AGM attended by almost a full mebership which was nice and encouraging to note. A big hand should go to the outgoing committee led by Romesh Abeywickrema who gave of their best by doing good things for the club with the help of the committee and members. A big hand should also go to their secretary Tiny Samat, a product of Royal College, Colombo who played for College and continued his rugby playing for Havelock Sports club from the mid 1970’s to the 1980’s representing the A & B division teams. He also led the Bambaras side in 1978.

And also Thusitha Peries the Treasurer gave a good account of himself and for his excellence was voted as the new president. He is a product of D.S. Senanayake College where he played the game of rugby, soon after his schooling he joined the Park Club and played from 1993 to 2000 and led the side in the 1998 and joined the club administration in 2001. He held post of treasurer for eleven years, including the last six years. And also was Vice president for two years.

He was also involved in coaching free for about five years and steered the club to win the league in 2012. And was appointed as the coach of the natioanl team in 2010. He became the Treasurer of the Western Province Rugby Football Union for six years and Secretary for two years of Sri Lanka Rugby.

The rest of the committee elected were live wires of the club Gamini Fernando as the Patron and the Vice patrons and thosewho gave their best for the club are Lal Silva, Ana Sarnapala, Jeyer Rodriguesz, Dan Ratnam, Anton Benedict, Yusuf Mukthar, Lucian Rajakarunanayake, Killi Pulendrana and Kloitha Guantialke and the two great supporters of the club Ivor Mahroof and Wimal Senanayake are the Trustees. The new vice president is Anuja Premaratne; Rajiv Perera General Secretary is Nirupan Wijayarthan and assistant Secretary Gehan Dias, Treasurer Sammy Akbar and Assistant Treasurer Nimal de Silva. Bar Secretary Eranga Katupearahchi, Ground Secretary Dinuyka Perera, Social Secretary Domini Alles, Joint Sports Secretary Roshan Opatha, Sri Lanka Ruby Representative Alex Nishnatha Chanka, Immediate past president Romes Abeyawickrema, Committee Rohan Gomis, Mangala Dharmpriya, Thanushka Wickramsinghe, Chairman Disciplinary Committee Chamninda Rupasinghe Now they have only to elect the next rugby captain.