Dickoya - Maskeliya C.C. keen to revive rugby at club

by S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN Kandy Sports Corr.

RUGBY: A top class performance by the youthful looking Dickoya - Maskeliya Cricket Club helped them to defeat the strong American National College, Colombo by 17 points (1 goal, 2 tries) to 14 (2 goals) in a rugby match played at Darrawela. At half-time, Dickoya led 7-0.

This match was somewhat of a revival of rugby at the 140-year-old Dickoya Club which has seen very little rugby or no rugby at all during the past two years, excepts for the annual plantation rugby sevens played for the last five years.

Former Trinity College and Dickoya's rugby captain Ranga Gunasekera who helps in the training of the young ruggerites said that though they had a rugby team they had no opponents to play at their level in the district. He said there are a number of talented ruggerites who have found employment in the plantations, and added that using them as the nucleus Dickoya will try to climb the ladder. The boys have been training hard, though the exigencies of duties gives them little time to practice.

The President of the club Viji Johnpillai, himself one of the finest cricketers to come out of St. Joseph's College, said that the plantation companies which manage the estates around Dickoya, have come forward to help the club whenever required, which has helped the club to upgrade the facilities. Rugby is on its way for revival and cricket will also be revived. As an initial step, the annual rugby fixture between Dimbula and Dickoya will be revived.

It must be recalled that in 1961 Dickoya entered the final of the Clifford Cup knock-out tournament, and lost to Havelocks 11-9. In 1957, a combined Dim - Dicks rugby team entered the final of the Clifford Cup. A picture in the Darrawela club house indicates that a rugby match between Dickoya and Colombo had been played in 1895 which is an indication that rugby had been played by this club for over 115 years - long before many of the Colombo Clubs, except CH & FC and Dimbula and some of the then European dominated planter clubs in Uva and Kelani Valley had taken to the game.

Dickoya is keen that they play more competitive rugby and were happy that American National College had come all the way to play a rugby match with some top ruggerites which included CR & FC's and Sri Lanka player Royalist Bilal Hassan. They were provided with night accommodation and food and a party thrown in as a good measure.

Dickoya scored their tries through centre and skipper Nilaksha Muththetugama, winger Kasun Wijesuriya, and scrum-half Nuwan Perera and one of these tries out was converted by Nilaksha Muththetugama. For American National College centre Rishitha Peiris and winger Hasitha Kalupathirana scored a try each and fly-half Bilal Hassan added the extra points.

Referee: Gerald Rasiah