Rajans bank on forwards for success

By Shamseer Jaleel

RUGBY: Dharmaraja College, Kandy will be all out to a few surprises in the schools ‘A’ division rugby this year. After a fine season last year, the school from Lake View will be in the school’s division 1A.

The chief behind their victory was their team work and never give up attitude and fine coaching skills of Nilufer Ibrahim who moulded then to a champion outfit. But the bad news for Rajans is that he will be missed as he has taken up coaching at Kingswood College.

In Nilufer’s absence, the side will be coached by one of the top referees in the country Mohamed Faizal Hussain. The side will be led by D.P. Gunathilake who will be one of mobile and big made forwards. Dharmaraja College’s main strength this year will be their big-made mobile set of forwards.

They will open the season on 22 April when they confront defending League champions St. Peter’s College at Bambalapitiya. This will be a real acid test for the boys facing the defending champions in Colombo in their very first outing.

The Lake View school will be travelling to Colombo only on two occasions. Once for the opening game against St. Peter’s and the other being the game against Royal College.

Dharmaraja ‘Pool’ for 2008

Props: D.R. Gunathilaka (Captain), A.N. Karunarathna, R.B. Ratnayake, N.S. Liyanarachchi, S.L. Basnayake, I.C. Bandara, Hooker: C.B. Ratnayake, T.S. Bandara, Second Row: L.I. Alahakoon, K.S. Rajapakse, T.D. Ratnayake, R.B. Ratnayake, Number 8: M.I. Mudanayake, Scrum Half: D.I. Wickramanayake, S.P. Nawalge, L.B. Weerasinghe, R. Bandara, Fly Half: R.C. Nawalage, T.S. Dhanushkasiri, J. Dissanayake, Centre: M.A. Weerasekera, M.B. Godigamuwa, S. Chandrasekera, Wingers: H. Vithanage, T.D. Thilakaratne, R.L. Wickramarachchi, S.E. Willegoda, S. Alawathegama, Full back :A.D. Athipola.

Matches this season

22/4: St. Peter’s: Colombo, 9/5: St. Thomas’: Bogambara Stadium, 17/5: Royal: Colombo, 22/5: Isipathana: Bogambara Stadium, 30/5: Vidyartha: Bogambara Stadium, 6/6: Trinity: Pallekelle, 14/6: Kingswood: Bogambara Stadium, 21/6: St. Anthony’s: Nittawela.