Harris Omar a rugby captain par excellence-Hafiz Marikar

Harris Omar

Harris Omar’s captaincy helped Kandy Sprots Club to win the first sevens title in 1999, it was he who gave a push to make it a champion side, under the guidance of Priyantha Ekanayake. Harris Omar started his rugby at Trinity College and most often played Number 8, but was also versatile enough to play flanker or even lock. His ball handling was arguably his greatest asset.

Harris Omar – the Trinity College rugby star came up from the early age of nine years and kept up the tempo for the others to follow. The initial grounding got the best out of Harris and he was in the Sri Lanka rugby team even as he came out of school. He showed fine skill and vigour from the time he was in the under 15 and 17 outfits, and then came into the senior side in1995. He stood out like a beacon in attack as well as in defence with his quick’ breaks’

He played for Sri Lanka from 1996 to 2002 and his signature runs were with the elbow trust out like a weapon of combat. His skills were cut and polished by coach Quentin Israel who was undoubtedly one of the best schools coaches, who brought up Harris Omar for Nimal Lewke of Kandy Sports Club to add that little bid more to fit into club rugby.

Harris showed capabilities from his early years, He was ear-marked as another Hisham Abdeen the’Bionic’ player who took the rugby scene by storm with his power play in the 1980’s.

With so many youngsters available to play enterprising rugby, Sri Lanka’s under 20 team and under 24 team went forward in their attacking style of play and the under 24 team in its Test against Hong Kong in 1998, did well to win and then National Team at the Asian Games in Korea did well in 2002. He had the rare privilege of leading the Sri Lanka under 19 team and later the under 21 team. While at school, he played for Kandy Sports Club.He also led the Sri Lanka team at the Asiad.After he led the Sri Lanka team, he hung up his boots and pursued higher studies. He also served on the executive committee of the SLRFU

While at school, Harris Omar played for Kandy Sports Club in 1995 and was one of the finest third-row forwards. Under his leadership, the club in 1999 (the year they were celebrating the 125th year) won the triple crown, winning the Inter-Club Sevens for the first time, League and the Clifford Cup knock-out tourney.

Harris Omar, like his father Iswan Omar, played for Trinity College, Harris first played as a scrum-half for the under 17 under the guidance of Janka Kiridena and Lohan Ratwatte. While playing for the under, 17, he was invited to play for the senior team as a third-row forward and ended up as number ‘eight’ and led the side in his last year.

The father himself is a Trinity ‘Lion’ in 1969.. Harris enjoyed playing rugby at Trinity. He led the side to win the ‘Bradby’ in 1995, and he had players who were champions in the trade for fast open rugby, under the astute coaching of Quentin Israel.

In the history of Kandy Sports Club rugby, Iswan Omar and HarrisOmar are the only father and son duo who led the club at rugby. They hail from a sporting family. Iswan’s father A.H.K. Omar was a fine cricketer and led St.Anthony’s College in 1928 and later played for Kandy Sports Club and Central Province.

Iswan started his rugby at Trinity College under the guidance of Hilary Abeyaratne and first played for the under 15 side as a prop forward and as a second-row forward for the under 17. He then played till 1969 for the senior team.

Iswan was a fine player and a good leader. He was in the 1974 Sri Lanka pool but had to pull out due to his recurring knee-injury that put a halt to his rugby at national level. From Kandy Sports Club he took up planting and joined Uva Gymkhana Club, Dimbulla ACC and Dickoya MCC and also played for the Up Country team.