Right man for the right job

By Panchamee HEWAVISSENTI

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Dushanth Lewke is the latest sensation and the person most spoken of in the field of Rugby these days. He was recently appointed the captain of Sri Lanka side to the Asian First Division Rugby Tournament to be worked off in Taiwan in November this year.

As the players of the oval shaped ball are always at the centre of the attention of the opposite sex, Lewke's appearance certainly adds glamour to the captaincy.

Despite some cynical movements to reverse the selectors' decision of appointing Lewke as the captain,"it's a great turn around in the fortunes of Sri Lankan rugby" some commentators feel. May be they are correct.

Lewke has all credentials to be the captain of the Sri Lanka national Rugby Union Test team. He is probably the only Sri Lankan player who has played the top most competitive level of international rugby with a successful stint in the premier division domestic competition in New Zealand, the home of the famous All Blacks.

Ever since his debut in 2003, Lewke has been an automatic choice for the national team, representing the national team at the 2004 Asiad in Hong Kong and 2007 Asiad in Colombo. "I got the most important experience in my career when I turned out for Sportswood Sports Club of Taranaki Province in New Zealand's Division one Rugby Tournament from 2005 to 2007". States the player with versatility in both attack and defence and who played a vital role in the Red Shirts' success this season.

Excerpts from the interview Dushanth Lewke had with the Sunday Observer.

How do you feel about the honour of being the captain of the national team?

I'm immensely proud but I remain and feel the same person. There is a feeling of glory and fulfilment as it has been a dream since I started playing rugby at school, as captaining any sports team is a dream of any player whatever sport he is engaged in. So, I don't think my dream to be the captain is extraordinary. But life goes on.

Do you think that this new responsibility had made it more difficult for you, or do you love the challenge?

It's a huge responsibility to captain any sport team. Not only into my personal betterment, I have to look into the betterment and level of performance of the rest of the players in the team as well in order to persist as a success- craving team. Certainly I love the challenge and I will try my level best to execute my responsibility! I retain the enthusiasm and hunger to be at best in the on coming rugby tournament in Taiwan. I have to focus more on the preparation and strategy. As I have ever been, I will remain confident as well.

During last several years, it was a player from Kandy Sports Club who led the Sri Lanka national team. And after several years rugby selectors' choice is from Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club. What do you think is the reason for this?

I have also played for Kandy Sports Club for three years. I represented both the Kandy SC and CR & FC and scored 11 tries each in successive domestic Premier League seasons.

The players from Kandy outnumber that from Colombo. I think that may be the reason behind the selectors always appointing a player as a captain from the Kandy Sports Club. Since I too once played for Kandy Sports Club, one might argue that a the captaincy was given again to player who represented Kandy Sports Club.

Another reason is that players from Kandy Sports Club have been in the competition for a long span of time whereas players from Colombo have been in it for two or three years. Most of the players who represent the CR & FC are schoolboys and once they finish schooling they go abroad or concentrate more on the job once they get into the corporate field.

You are a resident of Colombo. When you played for the Kandy Sports Club, where did you stay and how often did you come to Colombo?

That time I was doing my higher studies at ACBT. So, I used to come from Kandy to Colombo to attend classes. It was really a hectic task though I could manage studies with sport.

I stayed in a rented house in Kandy with three other players from Colombo for three years.

How about your educational career?

I studied at Royal College, Colombo. I am an MBA graduate from ACBT therefore I am not worried about my future after I retire from sport.

Are you employed?

I worked at Union Bank. Now I hardly find time to engage in jobs because I have put my heart and soul into sport.

Who are your coaches?

My two national coaches are Norman Laker and Darwie Snyman from South Africa.

How is the support you get from them?

They are very supportive. I think Darwie is one of the best coaches in Sri Lanka. Norman is a very good trainer. They both are always with the players not letting even small mistake go uncorrected. Players have to put on weight and build muscles to be a good rugby player. I think Norman has done it perfectly.

While your coaches are obsessed with the uplift of the physique of the players, do they focus on the psychological aspect as well?

A well balanced mental condition is an essential part of any sport as important as the physical fitness.

Yes! our coaches try their best to keep our morale high.

What should be the qualities of a good captain, rather a good leader?

He should first of all have the right attitude, discipline and focus while training. He should respect the words of coaches. A good captain should give sound leadership to his team, making the right decision at the right time. He should be wise enough to compare the game plans of the respective teams and make instant but the most suitable decisions in crucial moments. Captain doesn't always have to be the most outstanding player but should be able to earn the respect from the rest of the team and the credibility from the coaches. It is the combination of these factors which would bring out a good captain.

Singapore team had made a significant improvement. They are stronger than we thought. Do you think you can beat them?

Singapore team is mainly formed with the foreign players. They have that advantage of having more international exposure.

But in this tournament in Taiwan, we will be playing with Taiwan while Singapore will be playing with China. So we will have to face the winner may it be the Chinese team or the Singapore team. In that case we have to look into the performance of both China and Singapore. Not particularly on Singapore team.

But the Sri Lankan team has also had a significant come back. Our youngsters have started believing in themselves and their ability to match the best in the world. They have been taking slow but sure steps. The key is to stay with the momentum.

Do you have any suggestions to improve Sri Lankan rugby?

There's hardly any due recognition for players who deserve it. International exposure is vital. It's essential to provide our coaches with an international training and also to get down foreign coaches' service so that they will be up- to-date with new techniques and strategies.