Sri Lanka Rugby mourns the passing of iconic YC Chang. -By TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor).
It is with a heavy heart I reflect on the life of the dearly departed YC Chang, a true legend of Sri Lanka Rugby Union.
YC, as we referred to him affectionately, rode the challenges of life with the strength and courage of a bullish gladiator. He exuded an air of self esteem and confidence that set him apart from many others. He strode the Rugby fields of Sri Lanka like a collosus.
But there was also the humble generous character that would present itself when he dealt with a delicate situation.
Many at the three clubs he represented, namely, Havelocks, Kandy Sports Club and CH&FC will readily testify about his value as a granite like presence in the front row as a prop forward that was a difficult proposition. His exploits extended to the national team where he held his place alongside other greats such as Hadji Omar just to name another.
He Captained all three clubs including Sri Lanka in 1972 and could have, in 1974, when Sri Lanka made the final of the Rugby Asiad but he was suspended for leading the CH&FC team off the field in a club game for on field dissent.
YC Chang, the unforgettable Rugby player, later administrator, at different levels including President of the SLRFU, leaves a legacy that will be hard emulate leave alone be paralled, for his extraordinary knowledge and analysis of the game through the decades.
He was also President of Havelocks Sports Club and CH&FC.
As an administrator of Sri Lanka Rugby he laid claim to be the first to make Rugby professional much against the game’s administrators, the IRB. He forced them to relent, and let his forward thinking allowed only within Sri Lanka Rugby. It was the first step towards the World game following suit.
YC was always willing to impart his knowledge and understanding of the game he so loved to anyone ready to listen and take it on board. The former Trinitian was the pride of his school before going on to greater things at club and national level.
Always ready for a debate, we crossed paths on several occasions when I was a Rugby journalist, and he was the Coach at CH&FC whenever I happened to comment on games I covered that he did not agree with. But our roles were different in what our paid jobs were, as professionals. The heated exchanges often fizzled out when the players would intervene to calm the waters.
There was no deep rooted dislike between me and my former coach as I discovered after I migrated to Australia and returned to watch a Rugby Asiad held in Colombo in 1990.
I had just arrived and was heading to our room at The Oberoi Hotel. We happened to be in the same lift with YC and Anton Benedict who questioned what I was in Colombo for. I told him, “to watch the Asiad”, and he promptly asked me if I had secured my tickets. I said no. He informed me that it was sold out and seeing the disappointment on my face he promptly turned to an official of the Rugby Union and told him to hand over his entrance pass to me. It was a day I never forgot, or ever will.
YC Chang was quite unwell recently, and was forced to stay away from most functions he would have loved to be part of. But he stayed connected on social media, particularly on the CH&FC group website where there was no shortage of mostly good humoured banter. His last outing was with former team mate Harendra (Boga) Gunesekera who was touring Sri Lanka from his new home in South Africa.
In fact just two days ago, I posted something about a former CH&FC player visiting Melbourne which led to some light hearted comments and as expected, he bought into it with his own take.
It was his last interaction was with the people he loved, and who loved and respected him in Rugby. We were then treated to the shock of his demise. There’s many reeling from the news without doubt, me included.
He leaves behind loving wife Rosemary and sons Tungshan,Youshan and Mei Ling and their families.
May the turf he so loved, lay lightly on him
