Over 250 school ruggerites including girls attend rugby training camp

by S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Corr.

RUGBY: Over 250 school ruggerites under the age of 15 years underwent a rugby training clinging at Nittawela last Sunday organised by the Central Province Rugby Football Union (CPRFU) and the Kandy District Sports Development Foundation (KDSDF).

This was one of the biggest-ever junior coaching camp conducted by the CPRFU recently with the President of the CPRFU - former All Ceylon and Trinity `prop' Maurice Perera playing a big role in organising this camp. The Chairman of the Sports Development Foundation General Anuruddha Ratwatte graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.

The coaching panel was headed by former Trinity College and Upcountry ruggerite Gamini Udugama and assisted by former Sri Lanka rugby captain Asoka Jayasena, Kalu Perera and Deepal Punnyawardena, under the guidance of Maurice Perera who is a veteran rugby coach in the island, having introduced rugby to St. Anthony's College in the fifties and also had coached both Trinity College and Kandy Sports Club.

A very encouraging factor was a very large number of girls turned up for this coaching camp and a separate training session was conducted for them.

The young ruggerites were put through their paces in a very systematic way in keeping with the modern training methods. They were first allowed a `warm up' run followed by physical exercises before they were put to rugby training sessions.

They were taught the basics on ball passing, binding, scrumming and kicking. Maurice Perera said that the children were very eager to learn and they appear to be immersed in rugby.

General Anuruddha Ratwatte said that the children appear to be taking to rugby like ducks taking to water and was highly pleased with the program. Kandy District Sports Development Foundation fully sponsored this program by providing food, refreshments, water and also medical facilities to promote and develop rugby which is the objective of the Foundation.