CR & FC seeks rugby dominance

With the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU), struggling to put its house in order being gripped by a spate of problems which needs no reiteration here, it was heartening to see one of the country's oldest 'A' Division rugby clubs, holding their Annual General Meeting (AGM), in a manner befitting such a institution.

CR & FC, the undoubted flag-bearer of Colombo rugby clubs in an arena dominated by a single club from the hill-capital (Kandy SC), have for long promised much for their legion of supporters but delivered or produced little.

They had even hired foreign coaches to find their winning ways, but come unstuck much to the disappointment and chagrin of their die-hard fans, who throng their hallowed venue of Longden Place whenever their beloved team plies their trade.

Young & Enthusiastic

But, with the dawn of 2009, CR & FC it seems is ready to steal a march over their formidable rivals from Nittawela, if one is to truly believe in the words of their new President - a young and enthusiastic administrator who many feel knows what he is talking about - Jehan CanagaRetna.

CanagaRetna, a vivacious character at CR is one who knows his onions well and he is hell-bent on turning around the dismal fortunes of his club with the sole motive of supplanting Kandy Sports Club, as the undisputed domestic rugby champions.

His new found optimism is based on several factors which one cannot ignore in a jiffy.

He is right of course when he says that it has been his beloved club (CR & FC) that has managed to offer at least a semblance of a scrap to Kandy SC among all other competing clubs, and he is determined and pretty serious to see a change taking place in the mantelpiece this time around.CR & FC last laid their hands on the League silverware some 11 years ago, and the 42-year-old is of the firm opinion that it was all a psychological barrier which separated them and Kandy SC in that time span.

CR & FC last won the League trophy way back in 1998 under former scrum half Champika Nishantha, while they emerged as the runners-up to Kandy SC during that time span.

They last lifted the prestigious Caltex Clifford Cup in 2007, under the leadership of lock forward Anuradha Dharmathileka.

In a brief interview with 'Sunday Observer', CanagaRetna, a former Royal half back who also turned out for the Sri Lanka Un-20 team in the Asian Youth Rugby Championship in Chinese Taipei in 1985, stated that he has been provided with the right ammunition to look ahead to a momentous season for his club this year.

He pointed to factors such as the appointment of a highly qualified coach from New Zealand John Carrington besides the signing of at least half a dozen budding players from in and around Colombo and the outstations, as being behind the reasons for his new-found optimism and confidence.

He was categorical when he said that given the depth of resources available at his club it was only a matter of time before the Longden Place club is able to reach the 'Promised Land'.

Moving away from matters away from the playing deck to the club house it self, the newly elected CR & FC honcho who took over from Ravi Balasuriya, noted that his intention was to make the Longden Place based club be run like a professional organization, with key areas of the club like Sports, Bar and Restaurant being manned by paid full-time employees.

He insisted that with the pro-units being administered by professionals, the General Committee of the club headed by him will look to man the strategic units.

Professionals

CanagaRetna was quick to point out to the appointments of Anton Benedict, Dilroy Fernando and Tony Boran as professionals saddled with the task of fine-tuning and producing the goods in the key aspects mentioned above.

Former Sri Lanka number eight Benedict operates as the General Manager of the club, while former SLRFU CEO Fernando took over from Jan 1 as their new Sports Director, while Boran is to function as the Restaurant Manager.

He also spoke glowingly of all members in the new General Committee but singled out Chirantha de Zoysa - the new Secretary for special mention saying that a person of his caliber being gifted with PR skills and an outgoing personality, it was all what CR would need for him to bring in that cutting edge as far as sports sponsorship goes.

The newly elected CR President also known for his gift of the gab stressed that during his stewardship of the club he will not neglect other sports at CR and will do his utmost to revive them.

He referred to games such as Tennis, Basketball and Squash and emphasized that by further widening its doors to them they could hope to swell the coffers, instead of confining the arena solely to rugby football.

Outgoing President of CR & FC Ravi Balasuriya was of the view that it was a privilege to have been their honcho for the past four years being backed up by a 'tremendous committee', and hoped the new committee under Jehan CanagaRetna"s able leadership and guidance would achieve what he couldn't in the recent past.