Vidyartha’s Faizal an excellent rugby coach-by Hafiz Marikar

M.H.M. Faizal a fine ruggerite and coach, started his rugby career at Vidyartha College,. Kandy He made his debut in 1992 under the coaching of late George Jayasena, and also played in 1993. He played as full back but occasionally occupied the fly half and centre positons. He was also one of the leading try scorers during his playing days. Today he is giving a big hand in coaching and can be rated as one of the most knowledgeable coaches

Straight from school he joined the Nittawela club and played for the Kandy SC in 1994 and its“B” side Kandy Lions and later took up coaching. , He followed Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union Level I coaching programme in 2004 conducted by Steve Mcharsy of IRB and also took part in the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union Level I coaching programme in 2010 conducted by Nihal Viper Gunaratne.

As a coach he guided Dharmaraja College under 16 team in 2001, Kingswood College under 16 in 2006-2007, and Dharmaraja College under 20 in 2008. Vidyartha College under 20 in 2009. and St. Anthony’s College under 18. He also coached Zahira College Colombo Under 18 team in 2019 Under 14 team of Zahira College in 2019 and also was the Under 19 backs coach of Zahira College . He also coached Trinity College under 14 team from 2011 to 2016. St Anthony’s College under 16 team in 2017. Vidyartha College under 15 team which emerged All Island Milo Champions and toured Malaysia in 1996.

In 1997 he coached St. Anthony’s College under 17 to win the Bowl Championship and the under 17 team too won the All Island Seven a side championship in 1998 and 1999 He also coached the under 17 side to win the All Island Milo Trophy Seven a side Cup Championship of the Central Province in 1999. In the same year under his coaching Antonians won the under 17 Milo ‘ B” division. tournament He also coached Dharmaraja College under 15 side to win the plate semi-finals in 2000. He also completed IRB Level “1” course in Sevens Coaching .

Vidyartha College has produced top rugby coaches of the calibre of Priyantha Gunaratne Sumedha Malewana and Anil Jayasinghe in recent years and national players like Saliya Kumara Chanaka Chandimal Charith Seneviratne Dilan Ekanayake Jason Dissanayake and Kavindu Perera who have donned the Sri Lanka jersey with distinction.