Over 250 school ruggerites including girls attend rugby training
camp
by S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Corr.
RUGBY: Over 250 school ruggerites under the age of 15 years underwent
a rugby training clinging at Nittawela last Sunday organised by the
Central Province Rugby Football Union (CPRFU) and the Kandy District
Sports Development Foundation (KDSDF).
This was one of the biggest-ever junior coaching camp conducted by
the CPRFU recently with the President of the CPRFU - former All Ceylon
and Trinity `prop' Maurice Perera playing a big role in organising this
camp. The Chairman of the Sports Development Foundation General
Anuruddha Ratwatte graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
The coaching panel was headed by former Trinity College and Upcountry
ruggerite Gamini Udugama and assisted by former Sri Lanka rugby captain
Asoka Jayasena, Kalu Perera and Deepal Punnyawardena, under the guidance
of Maurice Perera who is a veteran rugby coach in the island, having
introduced rugby to St. Anthony's College in the fifties and also had
coached both Trinity College and Kandy Sports Club.
A very encouraging factor was a very large number of girls turned up
for this coaching camp and a separate training session was conducted for
them.
The young ruggerites were put through their paces in a very
systematic way in keeping with the modern training methods. They were
first allowed a `warm up' run followed by physical exercises before they
were put to rugby training sessions.
They were taught the basics on ball passing, binding, scrumming and
kicking. Maurice Perera said that the children were very eager to learn
and they appear to be immersed in rugby.
General Anuruddha Ratwatte said that the children appear to be taking
to rugby like ducks taking to water and was highly pleased with the
program. Kandy District Sports Development Foundation fully sponsored
this program by providing food, refreshments, water and also medical
facilities to promote and develop rugby which is the objective of the
Foundation.
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