Kingswood strong contender for League title

By Shamsheer Jaleel

RUGBY: Kingswood College, Kandy will be all out to clinch the school League title this year. The lads from Randles Hill will be led by Sri Lankan youth player Gayan Rathnage. He will have Roshan Weeraratne as his deputy.

Rathnage is lucky to have no less than 12 senior players in the pool. Their chances of performing well this year is further boosted through hiring one of their old boys Nilufer Ibrahim as their head coach. Nilufer had a very successful year at Rajans in 2007 where they earned a promotion to the top division.

The Randles Hill school could be proud of themselves as they are the first school to introduce rugby in Sri Lanka. But half-way through they had to stop. Their first encounter was against Trinity College which ended in a six-all draw.

Their rate of success in recent years is high. Thanks to their former coach Ronny Ibrahim who maulded an ordinary side into a champion outfit. Under his watchful eyes Kingswood won the President Trophy knock-out tournament from 2003 to 2005. They also ended as runner-up in the same segment on the following year.

In the League under Ronny they won the Group ‘B’ in 2003 and won the Group ‘A’ in the following two years.

One year later they ended as runner-up to St. Peter’s College.

Pool for 2008: Props: Harendra Dharamwardena, Mohamed Sabri, Thilanka Herath, Ranuka Medagedera, Hooker: Uchitha Jayasuriya, Second Rowers: Rajitha Abeykoon, Mohamed Akram, Ranil Medagedera, Asanka Vimukthi, Charles Jayasundera, Gayan Dinush, Chethiya Wadugodapitiya, Dhanushka Wijesinghe and Sandaruwan Fernando, Flankers: Gayan Rathnage (Captain), Nuwan Dharshana, Mohamed Akram, Asiri Medirigama, Sanka Jayaratne, Number 8: Rizvan Nazar, Scrum Half: Roshan Weeraratne and Mohamed Abzal, Fly-Half: Chirath Wijethunga, Centres (from): Chamindu Bandara, Kasun Wijesooriya, Iwantha Roshan, Mahesh Bandara and Sanjaya Weerasekera, Wingers: Harsha Ranaweera, Mohamed Fazli and Prabath Jayalath, Full Back (from): Rajitha Sansony, Kosala Kapukotuwa, Rajitha Jayasinghe and Chathuranga De Silva. Coach: Nilufer Ibrahim.

Matches this season: vs Royal 24/4, vs St. Anthony’s 4/5, vs St. Peter’s 10/5, vs Vidyartha 17/5, vs S. Thomas’ 23/5, vs Isipathana 8/6, vs Dharmaraja 14/6, vs Trinity 22/6.