Kandy - the draw card of local rugby - Kishu Gomes

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

RUGBY: One reason why we have stuck to the game for so long, probably making it the longest uninterrupted sports sponsorship over in the history of Sri Lanka, its Kandy Sports Club rugby team that adds excitement, colour, glamour, style, speed and strength into the game. These sporting attributes make the Kandy players lively and entertaining to watch, if not for the Kandy team, we may probably given up the Caltex sponsorship of rugby many years ago. It is so lovely to see the passion the Kandy fans have for the game said the Managing Director of Caltex Lubricants Private Limited Kishu Gomes.

He made these observations when he addressed Kandy Sports Club ruggerites, officials, parents of the players and the supporters of the Kandy SC and others at a Celebration Night organised by the Club at Mahaweli Reach Hotel in Kandy.

Kishu Gomes said that it was in the year 2000 that they first sponsored the Caltex Rugby League and the Clifford Cup knock out tournaments and they have been doing so continuously and this year it was the superlative performance by Kandy Sports Club which influenced him to extend this sponsorship by another three years.

Whilst congratulating the Kandy Sports Club for winning both the titles for another year, this year's win to them is more valuable and rewarding than the previous years. The level of competition, we saw during this year's tournament was at a much higher level than ever before with the three forces fielding very competitive sides and two of the four bottom end clubs as per the last year's ranking fielding foreigners. It was Kandy's Malik Samarawickrema who proposed this move to enhance the level of competition of club rugby to raise the level of quality of Sri Lankan rugby.

Sanjeewa Jayasinghe - brought new life

He said that he would like to pay tribute to a star who brought about new life to the game and the tournament for 12 long years and it was Kandy's and Sri Lanka winger Sanjeewa Jayasinghe. Whenever he was at a Kandy SC match, he was hoping every moment that Sanjeewa Jayasinghe would take possession of the ball to entertain the fans with his speed and moves.

Being an athlete and a wing three quarter himself for his school, it was a treat to watch Sanjeewa Jayasinghe for style and glamour with which he spiced the game.

He said that the value of the win is greater when it has been achieved the harder way, the win must be therefore be much sweeter and satisfying for the club. Kandy Sports Club has again proved its supremacy in the field of Sri Lankan Club rugby and they are really a champion side. He concluded by stating - nothing is impossible for Kandy - and impossible is nothing for Kandy.

The Trustee of Kandy Sports Club who had been the God Fatherly figure of the Kandy Club for the past 20 years _ Malik Samarawickrema said that this year's competition has been tough and we had to fight issues both on and off the field and we emerged victors in both. While the players looked after the issues on the field with dedication and application and above all with the sportsmanship of the highest order, the officials tackled the off the issues with great success.

He paid a glowing tribute to the Chairman Rugby Lasantha Wijesuriya, Manager Kapila Silva, President Dr. Sarath Kapuwatte, Secretary Lesley Zoysa and the CEO Rajitha Ratwatte and the Committee for a job well done.

Trustee Malik Samarawickrema also paid a glowing tribute to the media for reporting rugby matches and other issues in a very fair manner without which they would have found it difficult. They focussed attention on many issues and they were a tower of strength. He also thanked the rugby coach Johan Taylor for a job well done and he has been with the club for the past three years and this happy union should continue for many more years to come.