Rajeev shone as a number eight for Lanka-by Althaf Nawaz Source:Dailynews In the game of rugby some players who had an illustrious career were influenced by their fathers in taking up the game. This is mainly due to the father being a former player or a rugby enthusiast. Rajeev Ganapathy was one of the players who was motivated and encouraged by his father being an ex-player, later ended up playing for school, club and for the country as a profound player. Rajeev was born in 1980 in Kandy city and his father was late Mohan Ganapathy who represented Trinity College Rugby in the year 1971/72 and was a part of the ‘Bradby’ winning team in 1972 obtaining Rugby Colours at school. He represented and captained Dickoya Maskeliya Cricket Club. He worked as a planter with Kelani Valley Plantations. His mother Usha worked as a Nutritionist for Ceylon Biscuits Limited. He ...

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Full back T. A. Silva was an excellent place kicker-by Althaf Nawaz Source:Dailynews St. Paul’s College, Kandy later renamed as Sri Sumangala College, is another leading institution in the hill capital, which has played a pivotal role in the field of education along with sports . Even though they had a long standing history in sports, the game of rugby was reintroduced in the 1990’s and they were able to produce a few talented players to the National team The first player to be unearthed from the school was Bandula Wijesinghe, who played for Police and Sri Lanka with distinction from 1969 to 1975 as a winger . T. Ajith Prasanna de Silva was one of the prolific players who was inculcated with some natural talents in handling the oval shaped ball which earned him several credentials in the game. Better known as T. A. Silva in rugby circles he ...

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Pavithra was a top class flanker-by Althaf Nawaz Source:Dailynews In the game of rugby flanker is the position where the player should have all-round attributes: speed, strength, fitness, tackling and handling skills. Flankers are always involved in the game, as they are the players most commonly involved in winning the ball in open play, especially the open side flanker. Pavithra Fernando was one of the players who occupied this position from school days upto National level putting up a belligerent performance. Pavithra who is in early 40’s was born in Colombo and his father is Hemasiri Fernando who is a well-known figure in the sporting world especially in the field of Athletics, where he rendered yeoman service in ...

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Saranath Hettiarachchi the weightlifter turned ruggerite-by Althaf Nawaz Saranath Hettiarachchi Source:Dailynews Prop’ forwards are usually the largest and heaviest players in a team. In attack, their size and strength means that they are primarily used for running directly into the opponents defence, as a kind of battering ram to simply gain metres. Saranath Nuwan Hettiarachchi was a player who with his height and hefty build locked horns to play a key role occupying the prop forward position in all the teams he played starting from school, club and national team. Saranath was born in 1981 in Kandy city and Nimal Hettiarachchi was his father a businessman while Kumari Marambe his mother was a housewife. He had two siblings with Ruwan his younger brother who represented the same school later locked horns for CR and FC and another brother Dinesh lives in Italy. He enrolled himself as a primary school kid ...

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Suranga the cager turned ruggerite-by Althaf Nawaz Suranga Amarasinghe Source:Dailynews The second row forwards in rugby should be tall, powerful players with excellent scrummaging skills and line out jumping. . In open play the second row forwards should perform the role of support players in rucks and mauls. Suranga Amarasinghe, well-known as Chunchu in the sporting circles, was one of the top players in this position when he donned the College, Club and National jersey . Suranga was born to a humble family in Mirigama in the Gampaha District in 1977 He had three brothers, His younger brother Chathuranga played for Trinity and St. Peter’s and captained Havelocks in 2009. Suranga was enrolled at Trinity College, Kandy and completed his education there from the primary to higher studies from 1985 to 1996, having being boarded at the College hostel. His first appearance in sports was basketball with the under -17 ...

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Pradeep Basnayake out to develop rugby in the Central Province-by Hafiz Marikar Pradeep Basnayake Source:Dailynews Pradeep Basnayake , better known as Bassa was a top class rugby player during his playing dayS and now a administrator, is a product of Trinity College , he played his club rugby for Kandy Sports Club, and also for Up-Country and Sri Lanka and captained the Kandy Sports Club and Sri Lanka team . He is a double international at rugby and basketball. He played for Kandy SC for ten years and many years for the country and gave his best as a top class forward. and was a top class coach, he started his coaching at Trinity College in 2008 being in charge of the Under 20 outfit and later on taking charge of the Under 18 side. Regarded as one of the top men in the field of rugby, he is the ...

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Kapila Silva fine ruggerite and administrator-by Upananda Jayasundera Kapila Silva Source:Dailynews Kapila Silva, an Old Boy of Isipathana Vidyalaya, Colombo is a National Rugby player and Administrator. He started his Rugby career under the guidance of Kelum Gunaratne, a veteran Rugby Coach. Kapila Silva’s team- mates were Vajira Hewage, Amith Rasanga and Shamly Nawaz to name a few. While in School he played as second row forward and played for CH and FC in two matches. Before joining Kandy Sports Club in 2000 he played for CR & FC for two years and from 2000 to 2008 he played for the victorious Kandy SC as Flanker and Second Row forward. He played along with outstanding Sri Lanka Rugby players like Asoka Jayasena, Pradeep Basnayake, Indrajith Bandaranayake, Nalaka Weerakkody and Sajith Mallikarachchi to name a few. During his Rugby playing days he represented Sri Lanka Rugby team as well as Sri ...

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