Rugby Football- the glamour sport in Kandy

by Hafiz Marikar

Today, Rugby Football has become the number one glamour club sport in Kandy, with cricket, football and hockey taking a back seat. The one and only rugby club in Kandy - Kandy Sports Club is keeping Kandy proud. Whenever Kandy Sports Club is involved over here or in Colombo, the fans flock to the venues in thousands to enjoy the thrills and spills of the game.

Rugby is also known as king of Kandy's sports calendar and none can forget the services rendered by rugby promoters like Y.C. Chang, - a product of Trinity College and earlier at Carey College. He never played rugby football for the schools, but he came over to Havelocks Sports Club where he started his rugby football career in the early 1960s.

In the very first year he played for the club in the Clifford Cup final and Havelocks Sports Club did well to beat the strong Dickoya - Maskeliya Cricket Club in a thrilling game.

Then 'Y.C.' from the Park Club crossed over to Kandy for employment and was a Planter. He played for Kandy from 1964 to 1971 as a top class 'Prop' and played for the country in all eight years with Kandy Sports Club.

After leaving Kandy, 'Y.C.' joined the CH and FC and was given the chance to play for the country in 1972 Asiad, then when he was in line to lead the country in the 1974 Asiad, he was suspended for pulling his team out of the field.

The Kandy Cup final was in 1969 which team was led by late Denzil Kobbekaduwa where there were many top players. 'Y.C.' was involved in everything at Kandy Sports Club, besides being a player, he was Coach, Committee Member, Secretary, Treasurer and Vice-President. He was a top class administrator. He was also the big boss of the CH and FC and havelock Sports Club and later was the President of the SLRFU. It was he who introduced sponsorship to clubs and also took the Clifford Cup to Kandy, which helped the Kandy Sports Club to come to the top.

Then getting on to bigger things, under his leadership Sri Lanka had one of the Asiads at the Sugathadasa Stadium which was well organised and with a quality class secretary at that time in Dushantha Samarasekera. 'Y.C.' was also the President of the Asian Rugby Football Union.

Though today 'Y.C.' is not involved in rugby, he is known to give a big hand for his favourite club - Havelock Sports Club. Then 'Y.C.' has been involved in organising the R. Premadasa Trophy Schools and Club Rugby Football Tournament.

He was the first coach of Isipathana College in the early 1960's and was also a referee at a certain time.

The game of rugby football has had quite a number of knowledgeable people who have come forward to help. There is Malik Samarawickrema - a former scrum half from Royal College who played for Royal College, CR and FC and Sri Lanka and there was also Kishin Bhutani - at one time the 'King Pin' of CH and FC rugby. He was the 'live wire' at CH and FC and was in charge of rugby management from 1982 to 1985. In 1987 Bhutani became the Chairman of the club and went on to hold the post till 1990. It was Bhuttani who gave the much wanted push for Kurunegala RFC rugby, and helped the club to win the 'B' division trophy.