Mubarak was an excellent full back and place kicker-by Althaf Nawaz
Riza Mubarak
Source:Dailynews
The full back in rugby plays a vital role with his safe collections and booming kicks to touch to relieve pressure often joins the three quarter line to form the overlap and is also most often the place kicker piling on the points for his team. Riza Mubarak is one of the prominent players who contributed immensely to the success of the teams he represented at school, clubs and at International level bringing honour and fame for them.
The lanky Riza is in his 40’s and his father Mohamed Mubarak Jainudeen is a youth football player who was mostly based overseas. His mother is Sithy Fathima Reyal, a housewife. He completed his school career with
Isipathana College, Colombo from the primary to higher studies. His father used to take him to witness football matches during his vacation in Sri Lanka. As a result, Riza was inspired to engage in sports, especially handling the oval shaped ball at Isipathana. In 2005, he embarked on his charismatic rugby career enrolling at the junior team under the watchful eyes of legendary player Hisham
Abdeen, who illustrated the basics of the game and laying a solid foundation for his long rugby career. Due to his liking for football he had the kicking skills and moving fast as a nippy player, Riza opted to occupy the full back’s berth as a rugby player. He learnt his basics and kicking techniques with the rugby ball from Thushara Bandara and D.P. Udayasiri. He played for College first XV from 2005 to 2007 after competing in all age groups commencing from under-13.
During his tenure with the senior team they went on to win several tournaments while being a dominant force in the school’s rugby arena. While playing for school, he was selected to don the Sri Lanka under-19 jersey
in 2007 under Sanath Martis as coach. He played under Ashan de Costa and Damith Udayanga’s captaincy as a player in the senior team at Isipathana. He played along with Sajitha Saranga, Dinusha Chaturanga, Srinath Sooriyabandara, Niroshan Fernando and Vishwamithra Jayasinghe. In 2007, at the Kandy International Schools Sevens, Isipathana became champs where Riza was a member of that side and went on to crush Kingswood 33-17 in the final.
He was also part of the team which beat St. Anthony’s, Kandy by 74-0 at the 2006, Thurstan Invitation Sevens Tournament coached by Bimal Perera.
This exposure enabled him to join CR and FC right after school in 2008, on an invitation extended by Jehan CanagaRetna, and subsequently got an employment opportunity with MAS Holdings. While playing for CR he was selected to play for the National team in 2008, right after the club season and was the most outstanding player. He also played for Navy, Havelocks and rejoined his old club CR before his retirement from the game. In 2010, he was offered a scholarship to play in Western Province Rugby Academy in Cape town, South Africa. This was possible mainly due to the combined efforts of Jehan CanagaRetna, Dilroy Fernando and the coaches there were Darwie Snyman and Norman Laker,
His accomplished career with the National team was from 2008 to 2016, where he was adjudged the ‘Most Valuable Player’ of the Five Nations Asian Rugby Tournament in 2013. Due to his accurate place kicking , he surged ahead to become the highest point scorer in the Five Nations Asian Rugby Tournament held in 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2015 respectively. In 2014, he was the highest point scorer of the IRB sanctioned ‘Serendib Cup..
He wants to recall his memory, when he made his school debut in rugby against Trinity which they won 6-5, after a nail biting finish. He was instrumental in converting two penalties. Trinity had played that game brimming with confidence after winning the ‘Bradby’ and Isipathana were reeling in the ‘B’ division at that time. He was also influenced by some of his friends, who motivated him to pursue rugby and special mention has to be made of Shaad Hamid for making him fall in love with Isipathana Rugby.
He would like to thank his coaches, for putting up an unstinted effort to mould him as a profound player, without them he wouldn’t have reached this level.
They are namely Hisham Abdeen, Thushara Bandara, Udayasiri, Bimal Perera, Sanath Martis, Ronny Ibrahim, Tavitha Thulagesi (Laga), John Carrington, Darwie and Norman, Bilal Yusuf, Grant Dwyer, Phil Greening, Ravin Duplesis, Ben Gollings. Johanne Taylor and Phil Pretorius. He also likes to extend his gratitude to few others who played a pivotal role to assist him in various ways during his school days, Gazzaly from Expo Lanka, Ifham Mahboob, Hassan Singhawansa, and Chaaminda Gallage.
He has completed a World Rugby Level-3 coaching in XV-a-side in 2020 and migrated to Canada . He holds a MBA from Anglia Ruskin University in 2016. He is married to former Royal and CH player Iqbal Hassan’s daughter Mariam and is blessed with a child.
