St. Anthony’s College Kandy – Rugby in the 50s onwards

Anthonians took up to rugby long after the schools introduced sports like cricket, boxing, hockey, football and athletics. Only in the ‘1950’s did the Anthonians take the oval ball to Katugastota, and Bruce Winter became their first rugby captain. A big hand should go to their great coach in that era, old Trinitian Bobby Jayaweera who spared no pains to teach the Antonians how they should handle the Oval ball. Later Maurice Perera helped in coaching the Antonains.

From the day, they touched the ovalball, the game became very popular. In the early days, it remained just an introduction of the game for quite some time, with no signs of attracting the enthusiasm of youthful Antonians.

From the day, they touched the ovalball, the game became very popular. In the early days, it
remained just an introduction of the game for quite some time, with no signs of attracting the
enthusiasm of youthful Antonians.

1959 was the year when St. Anthony’s was recognised as a full 1st XV and was included in the inter schools Rugby tournament with fixtures all 1st XV College teams in Colombo and Kandy. This team was captained by Andre Titus and comprised Charlie Joseph, Freddie de Run, Steve Morrel, Lakshman Alwis, Anton Beckmeyer, Ranjith Imbuldeniya. Tony Harridge, Win Chu Wei, Gavin Stevens, Winston Bayley, Ian Fernando, Christopher Koelmeyer, Linton Vanstarrax, Annesley Dias, M H M Kaffer, Denzil Halangoda and Ricky Muthukumaraswamy. Coached by Ken de Joodt.

Results of the games were as follows: Won against Royal 6-3, Won against St. Thomas’ 12-6,

Won against St. Peters 14-nil, Won against Thurstan 12-nil, Won against St. Josephs 6-3.

Lost to Trinity, Wesley and Zahira.

In this our first year of Inter School Competition three Antonians Gavin Stevens, Andre Titus and Charlie Joseph were chosen to represent outstation schools against Colombo schools. In the same season, Andre Titus was picked for the combined schools team. Gavin Stevens after leaving College played for Kandy Lake Club, Kandy Sports Club, Havelocks SC and in the late 60s was one of the first Antonians to play for Sri Lanka. Gavin Captained the Sri Lanka B Team against Japan.

In 1960 we continued to play all Inter School games in Colombo and Kandy. The team comprised Andre Titus (Captain), Charlie Joseph, M H A Kaffer, Win Chu Wai, Christopher Koelmeyer, Denzil Halangoda, Upali Fernando, Linton Vanstarrax, Mike Joseph, Ken Duff-Tytler, Mohan Ratwatte, Majeed, N VanderPooten, W Wijeratne, S Mulholland, John Emanuel and S Dunuwille. Results were mixed with no official records.

Andre Titus and Charlie Joseph represented outstation school against Colombo Schools.

Though they started rugby in the 1950’s it was only in 1961 that unprecedented enthusiasm was created and rugby received a big boost and backing from all quarters.

This 1961 team photo shows:-

Back row:- Franklyn Paul, Ranjith Fernando, Walter Lodewyke, Christy Gomes, Tom ( Tutu) Thenuwara

2nd row:- Kadirgamaraj, Ronnie Bolling, Chris Duff-Tytler, Mike Joseph, Upali Fernando, Barney Daniel, Winston Vanderpooten

Front row:- Denzil Halangoda, Charlie Joseph, Fr Robinson, Win Chu Wei, Fr.Thomas, Ken Duff-Tytler, Wilmot Wijeratne

Missing from photo is Mohan Ratwatte

Particularly at its inception, many of the leading schools provided the Anthonians with the 2nd XV fixtures. It was only in 1962 that the Anthonains were able to play against the 1st XV teams.

In fact, that was the first time that Katugastota rugerites played Trinity, Royal and S. Thomas’s senior teams. The results of the matches played that year are as follows – Lost to Royal 0-17, Lost to St. Thomas’ 0-9, Lost to St. Peter’s 3-6, Lost to Trinity 3-14, Lost to Zahira 0-30, Defeated Thurstan 11-8, and Defeated St. Joseph’s 14-8.

In the match against Trinity we scored a try on the kick off. Michael Joseph was fly half and on the kick off we decided to dupe the Trinitians and he kicked away from the forwards over the Trinity three quarter line. Barney Daniel swooped on the ball and scored. Trinity was captained by Noel Brohier. We were beaten but not outplayed. In the match against St. Peter’s we drew 6 all. They had a top side that year. We should have won had Travis Baptist touched down instead of running over the dead ball line!! Michael Macky was next to him and calling out to him to touch down. He kept running and touched down over the dead ball line. !!! That was the final whistle.

The 1962 the team was led by Win Chu Wei, some of the of players in this side were Kenny Duff- Tytler (Vice Capt), Michael Joseph, Ranjith Fernando, Christy Gomez, Winston Vanderpooten, Saliya Kulatunga, Franklyn Paul, Ernest Tissera, Barney Daniel, Michael Macky, Denzil Halangoda, Tutu Thenuwara, Travis Baptist, Elmo Joachim and Walter Lodewyke.

Then in 1963 and 1964 the Antonians did well in rugby under Ranjith Fernando and Saliya Kulatunge respectively. Both were selected to play for the Outstation Schools’ Team against the Colombo Schools’. Although the 1965 and 1966 teams, led by Michael Macky and Patrick Gunaratne respectively, did not fare well, they nevertheless maintained a high standard of rugby. Chan Fa Ching played for these sides and was chosen to play for Kandy Sports Club from College and later was one of the first Antonians to play for Sri Lanka.

When the rugby season commenced in 1966, Michael Macky was refereeing inter house rugby matches. Fr. Columban Macky was Principal of the lower school at that time and used to watch these games. One day he called Michael over and suggested that he get some youngsters around 13/14 years of age who used to watch these matches, to pass on some basic rules of the game to see if they would be interested in learning to play rugby. The following were some of the fellows interested to learn – Peter Corteling, Michael Drieberg, Chris Anderson, Geoffrey Paul, Tuan Dole, Steve de Silva, A Rajaguru, and Paul Offen. Michael Macky used to coach them every day after school. He made Peter Corteling into a scrum half. Little did Michael know that these fellows would go on to play 1st XV Rugby for College and four of them ended up Captaining.

This brilliant idea of Fr. Columban Macky helped rugby to prosper through these youngsters at that time, through which his far reaching idea came to fruition. Unfortunately, Fr. Columban passed away in 1970. He was not able to see his brilliant idea pay dividends for Antonian Rugby. It is vital to know that rugby progressed in College because of Fr. Columban Macky, who introduced the game to College all those years ago.

Despite not having a regular coach, the 1967 team captained by Basil Hyde, fared quite well, winning only one game and lost the other eight. Four members of this 1967 team namely Basil Hyde, Malcolm Dias, H.M. Kuthdoos and Randy Sims, won their rugby Colours for their outstanding performances during the season.

It was in 1968 that Anthonian Rugby showed real maturity, when, for the first time, the team led by H.M. Kuthdoos held the much fancied Trinitians to a 3 all draw at Peradeniya in a block-buster game. During that season St Anthony’s won 6 matches beating much fancied teams like St. Joseph’s, Royal, St. Peter’s, St. Benedict’s and S. Thomas’, and lost two matches and drew two.

Top: Paul Offen, Ronnie Pandithasekara, Piyasena, Tuan Dole, Maxi Vanculenberg

Middle: Geoff Paul, Rohan Thambinayagam, Dharmakeerthi, Hilmy Jainudeen, Mike Dieberg, Russel de Silva.

Seated: Maurice de Silva (Coach), Thusitha Dharmaratne, Steve de Silva, Peter Cortling, Ajith Fernando, Abaya Rajaguru, Fr.Alred Samarakoon (Prefect of Games)

The 1972 Team

Top: Ranjith Karunathilake, Tyrone Rosairo, Ian Lodewyke, Jr. Rajaguru, Shanmuganathan, Dayananda De Silva.

Middle: Sevagan, Malagamuwa, CPP Raj, Clement Fernando, Christo Anderson, Kaluarachi, Waidyaratne, Piyasena.

Seated: Fr. Aeldred Samarkoon (Prefect of Games), Hilmy Jainudeen, Sr. Rajaguru, Tuan Dole, Geoff Paul, Clive Fernando, Lucky Vitharana (Coach).

After quite a long wait, the Anthonian rugby team enjoyed one of the finest years in rugby, that was in 1972 when for the first time the Antonians were able to beat Trinity College to win 13 – 7 in a nail-biting finish. That year the Anthonains were coached by Lucky Vitharana towards the end of the season. However, the grounding for Antonian Rugby from 1968 to the beginning of the 1972 season, the teams were coached by the famous Havelock SC, Kandy Lake Club and Sri Lanka Center three quarter Maurice de Silva. Thanks should go to E.W.Balasuirya for brining Mauirce to Kandy and Rev.Fr.Alred Samarakoon our Prefect of Games for enticing Maurice to couch us. This side was led by Tuan Dole. They won seven games against, St. Joseph’s, St. Benedict’s, Kingswood, St. Thomas, Thurstan and Trinity, and drew with St. Peter’s and lost to Royal.

Tuan Zaruk Dole who led St. Anthony’s College to beat Trinity College for the first time in rugby and he is popularly known from a sporting Malay family in Kandy. His father Tuan Hajireen Dole was a Police officer and a prominent figure in boxing teams. Tuan’s brother Farook Dole, played rugby for the Kandy Lake Club, Kandy Sports Club and Up-Country. Tuan played for the combined schools team at the age of 16. In the year 1972 St. Anthony’s beat St. Joseph’s, St. Benedict’s, Kingswood, S. Thomas’, Thurstan and Trinity. They drew with St. Peter’s and lost to Royal.

Dole displayed good leadership and was a polished and crafty player. He started his rugby career from under-12 level and ended up as one of the best products of St. Anthony’s rugby. It was under his leadership that St. Anthony’s had a very successful season and ended up as unofficial champions.

After that successful season they toured India and one of the men behind their success was their MIC Fr. A. Samarakoon along with the school principal Fr. Steven Abrahams, one of the best principals the school had.

As a schoolboy Dole played for the President’s XV against the London Welsh which had legendary players like John Spencer, David Llewellyn, John Dawes and Mervyn Davies.

Dole played a hard game and left the field bruised which was an indication to how he committed himself.

Dole played for Kandy SC as a schoolboy and crossed over to Havelock SC. He took to tea planting and played for Dickoya MCC, Dimbula ACC and Up Country and was best known for his fine goal-kicking and dummies and managed several Sri Lanka teams on overseas tours.

The next best rugby season was in 1988, under the captaincy of Leroy Fonseka when they, emerged runners-up to Royal in the schools rugby League Championship. Antonians remained unbeaten, winning nine out of ten matches and drawing the other. Leroy had the rare distinction of representing the country as a schoolboy at the 11th Rugby Asiad in Hong Kong. In 2001, they won the “Milo” under 19 League championship.

Out of all the Anthonian Ruggerites Priyantha Ekanayake stands tall and above all is very proud of being the first Antonian to captain the Sri Lanka Rugby Team, and that too for a record ten consecutive years. He also had the privilege of leading the National team for four consecutive Asiad’s, a record yet to be broken.

According to records the first Antonians to represent the country were Chan Fa Ching and Gavin Stevens. The under mentioned are those who Captained St. Anthony’s:

1956 and 57-Bruce Winter, 1959 and 1960-Andre Titus, 1961-Winchu Wei, 1962-Winchu Wei, his Vice Captain was Kenny Duff-Tytler, 1963-Ranjith Fernando, his Vice Captain was Michael Macky 1964-Saliya Kulatunga, his Vice Captain was Michael Macky, 1965-Michael Macky, his Vice Captain was Michael Pereira, 1966-Patrick Gunaratne, his Vice Captain was Chan Fa Ching, 1967-Basil Hyde, his Vice Captain was H.M.Kuthdoos, 1968-H.M. Kuthdoos, his Vice Captain was Gamini Fernando, 1969-John Henry, his Vice Captain was Peter Corteling, 1970-Peter Corteling, his Vice Captain was Steve de Silva, 1971-Steve De Silva, his Vice Captain was Tuan Dole, 1972-Tuan Dole, his Vice Captain was Rajaguru, 1973 -Jeffrey Paul, his Vice Captain was Kalu Perera, 1974-Arshad Dole-Mohammed Ali, 1975-Sarath Fernando, 1976-Nihal Gunaratne, 1977-Selvin Bulathsinghala, 1978-Haren Goonawardena / Reinzie Martinesz, 1979-Hubert Harley, 1980-Baratha Seneviratne, 1981-L. V. Ekanayake, 1982-Mohammed Nazaar, 1983-Channa De Costa, 1984-Priyantha Ekanayake, 1985- Mohammed Naliff, 1986-Sanjaya Amunugama, 1987-Senaka Kaluarachchi, 1988-Leroy Fonseka, 1989-Shanitha Fernando, 1990-Rohan Jayasundera, 1991-Lasantha Wijesuriya, 1992-Lalantha Karunatilleke, 1993-Chaminda Marasinghe, 1994-Suranga Kodituwakku, 1995-Malith Silva, 1996- Sameera Silva, 1997-Amila Kulatunga, 1998-Iranga Dissanayake/Isuru Herath, 1999-Salman Kuthdoos, 2000-Ashan Cooray, 2001-Tikiri Dissanayake, 2002-Asela Rajaguru, 2003-Suranga Swarnatilake, 2004-Imran Bistamin, 2005-Shaheer Reyal, 2006-Sanjaya Rjaguru, 2007-Kusal Rankothge, 2008-Chanaka Gunarathene, 2009-Amila Weligampola, 2010-Tharindu Chanaka, 2011- Sanke Rajaguru, 2012-Panduka Angamana.

The above information was extracted from an article published by the Times of Sri Lanka posted on the 8th March 2013, an article written by Andre’ Titus (Captain 1959-1960), with contributions from Kenny Duff-Tytler (Vice Captain 1961 & 1962), Michael Macky (Captain 1965), Tuan Dole (Captain 1972) and Geoffrey Paul (Captain 1973). Early Rugby photos provided by Gavin Stevens.