Laga to coach CR and FC

by Ranjeeva Seneviratne

RUGBY - Tavita Tulagaese affectionately called Laga by his friends who took great pains to mould Kandy Sports Club into a champion outfit during the last four years will be coaching his former club CR and FC in the forthcoming rugby season.

Laga joined Kandy SC in 2003 and performed the dual role of coach cum player in the first two years when foreigners were allowed to represent clubs in domestic tournaments.

During his four year tenure as coach Kandy Sports Club reigned supreme in the club rugby scene. They clinched the Rugby Triple for three consecutive years by winning the Caltex 'A' Division League Title, Clifford Cup knock-out tournament and the Rugby Sevens Title.

Last year too Kandy SC clinched the caltex 'A' Division Title and the Rugby Sevens Title but missed a golden opportunity of bagging the triple crown for the fourth consecutive year when they withdrew from the clifford cup tournament in protest against the SLRFU decision to play the semi-finals and finals in Colombo.

Laga, a Samoan domiciled in Auckland, New Zealand first arrived in Sri Lanka in 1996 and played in his pet position of number eight for the CR and FC and played a key role in the success of the club which clinched the 'A' Division League Rugby Title after 22 years under the leadership of Viraj Prasantha.

This year Laga has returned to his former club and his main intention will be to help the Red Shirts to win the Caltex 'A' Division League Title which has eluded them since 1998.

Last year the Red Shirts under the guidance of Australian Grant Dwyer had a successful season emerging runners up to Kandy SC in the Caltex 'A' Division League and clinched club rugby's richest prize the clifford cup with a smashing 37-5 win over arch rivals Havelocks in the final.

They also bagged the second leg of the singer professional sevens at Ratgama by beating Air Force 36-29 in the final.

This season the Red Shirts will field another star studded side under the leadership of Sri Lanka lock forward Anuradha Dharmatilleke. They boast of a powerful set of forwards and a superb three quarter line.

The pack will have Sri Lanka players of the calibre of Danuskha Boteju, Shamil Mohamed, Anuradha Dharmatilleke. Pavithra Fernando, Ashen Karthelis (who had a marvallous season last year) and Anuja Perera (who played for Sri Lanka against Arabian Gulf last week) in addition to talented youngsters Henry Terrance, former Ananda skipper and Sri Lanka youth player Gayan Fernando, last year's Kingswood skipper Naveen Wijetunge, ex-Royal flanker Gayashan Wijesinghe and former Wesley skipper Kasun de Silva.

The back division has an abundance of talent. Sri Lanka's number one scrum half Amjad Buksh is likely to operate from the base of the scrum but faces stiff opposition from another national player Zulki Hamid.

Ex-Wesleyite Omar Sariffodeen or Avantha Hettiarachchi will occupy the pivotal fly half berth. CR will have a host of national players to occupy the centre and wingers berths. Sri Lanka centre Mohamed Sheriff, brothers Ashan and Lasinntha de Costa (both of whom donned the Sri Lanka Jersey at the Hong Kong sevens), winger Dinesh Kumara, ex-Sri Lanka winger and former Kandy SC skipper Radhika Hettiarachchi will fight it out with youngsters Achalanka Ayagama, Ravindra Wekadapola and last year's Trinity centre Kosala Tissera with veteran Asanga Rodrigo once again likely to man the last line of defence.