Fazil Marija - Most Outstanding Player, Dushan Lewke - Most Popular Ruggerite

By Ranjan Anandappa

Sunday Observer/Caltex Rugby Awards: Former Sri Lanka captain and the present CR&FC rugby captain Dushan Lewke was the voters' choice when he was selected by the readers of the Sunday Observer for the second time as their Caltex/ Sunday Observer Most Popular Ruggerite of the Year 2011 as he received the coveted award at a glittering ceremony held at the Galle Face Hotel Jubilee Hall last Thursday. Sri Lanka Navy won the Most Popular Team Award of the 2011.

After a distinguished career at Royal College, Colombo, Lewke joined CR&FC and played with distinction and won the Sunday Observer/Caltex Award in 2005. He was the Vice Captain of the 2002 Royal College rugby team which remained unbeaten and his contribution towards that team was enormous. After leaving school in the Year 2003, he joined CH&FC and was a vibrant member until he left the Maitland Crescent Club in 2005 and crossed over to Kandy SC. He played a pivotal role in Kandy SC's success in the 2005 Clifford Cup. Lewke represented the Kandy Club till 2007 and the following year joined CR&FC and has been a crucial 'Cog' in the CR&FC machine.

His inspiring style of play earned him the national jersey in 2003, and was an automatic choice for the national team. Besides his daring style of play at number, Lewke was also a robust player in the loose.

With the services teams back in the fray after a long lay off, the Sri Lanka Navy had one of their best seasons under the inspiring leadership of flanker Yositha Rajapakse finished as the runner-up in the Caltex 'A' Division League tournament. They gave a fighting display before going under to Kandy by 16/17 in the Clifford cup final.

The President of the SLRFU who is also a Vice President of Sri Lanka Cricket - Asanga Seneviratne, while expressing his amazement of the armed services who took to the game after the thirty year war, lamented on the lack of support for sport. "It is sad to say that most of the blue chip companies are led by people who actually got to their present positions because of sports. They didn't have any university education or excelled in studies.

They were great sportsmen. They seems to have forgotten their past it is so sad to say. Only five percent of our children in schools participate in sport.

Only 20% of our adults do any sort of exercise, these are the numbers coming out from Sports Ministry. It is a great cause for concern."