Trinitian Blaze helped to improve rugby at Kingswood College

By Hafiz Marikar

Kingswood College, Kandy, the first school in the country to play rugger, then known as Kandy Boy's High School, took to the game due to the efforts of a Trinitian L.E. Blaze in 1891, he was the founder principal of the school. And his aim was to see a game, so the first match was played on 27th of November 1891 between the students and staff with L.E. Blaze as the referee, and again on 8th of December 1891 they played another game.

Subsequently the interest for rugby increased in popularity the first rugger fixture between Trinity College and Kingswood on 11th day of August 1906 took place at Bogambara Grounds, and resulted in an exciting 6 all draw. This was the first-ever inter-school rugby game to be played in the country. After a few years after this game Kingswood they gave up he game.

There are some Kingswoodians who hit the top at rugby, without playing for the school. Two names that came to my mind was of Iqbal Jumar, better known in the hockey circle played for CR and FC, then the best out of all was Owen Mottau the first Kingswoodian to play for the country. He started his rugby at Dambulla ACC as a tea planter, later played for Up-Country. Few years back he was a livewire of the famous CH and FC and one time coached the Colombo cricket Club.

In the year 1965, the game was re-introduced at Kingswood due to the great efforts of their Sports Master Winston Hoole and with great difficulty, he kept the game going with the help of the keen old boys and some of the staff members, so the game went on and only in the 1980's, during the coaching of Z.M. Zarook a product of Vidyartha College, they started doing well. The first trophy the Kingswoodians won at rugby was the Tyrell Muttiah Memorial Tophy in 1981, where they emerged as "B division champions and in the following year, were promoted to "A" division.

Kingswood won 9 matches out of 11

In their first year in the "A" division under the captaincy of Malik Weerasinghe Kingswood won nine matches out of eleven, losing to St. Anthony's College and Wesley College, that season. They amassed 301 points against 52 points against. But the finest moment of rugby was in that very same season when Kingswood clinched the Philip Bueltjens Trophy by emerging as schools sevens champions. In five game in the Sevens Tournament Kingswood scored 112 points and gave away 4 points. Kingswood beat St. Anthony's College 32-0, Lumbini College 38-0, Maliyadewa College 24-0, Isipathana College 10-4.

In the final Kingswood beat S., Thomas' College by 8 points to nil. In the same tournament, Kingswood "B" side won the 'Bowl', by beating Science College, Zahira College "B". St. Benedicts' College "A", and in the final beat Wesley College "A".

In 1987, Kingswood had an excellent season, winning nine out of ten matches and also entered the R. Premadasa trophy Knock-out tournament by beating Science College in the quarter-finals, but in the semis they went down to Trinity College by 11 points to 6 after leading 5-3 at lemons.

After taking up the game for the second time, Kingswood produced some fine players who made the school and Kandy proud, to name a few Jerm Grey a fine center, Rohan de Silva, Kamil "Roy" Amith, Lalith Wijeartne, A.T.Walisundara, Raja Ibrahim, Roy Ibrahim, Ronnie Ibrahim, Rinne Ibrahim, Nilufer Ibrahim, Dunstan de Silva, Nalin Ranasinghe, D. Ananda Kasturiarchchi, G.A. Samapth, Gemanu Silva, L.H.Wahab, Plaitha Abeyasiriwardene, T.M.N. Sherifdeen, Dum Jayatilake, Parakrama Samaraweera, Keerthi Walisundara, Somasiri Perera, R. Premawansa, Thusitha de Silva, Keneth de Silva, G.A.Sampathge.

The finest crickeer was Nalaka Weerakoodi who was a fine place, drop and long distance kicker, Chamra de Silva, S.A.Muthumala, A.S. Nagapitiya, Roshan Weeratne, Gyan Weearatne, Eranda Weerakodi, Amjad Buksh, Anju Buksh, twins Oshan and Lavanga Perera, Rizmeer Jabar. M. Akram, Malith Hettiarchchi, Eranda Jayalath, Hesha Kalhara,

At present their most looked forward to game at rugby is against Wesley College. In 1985, the famous Kingswoodian Roy de Silva who was better known in the field of hockey and who hit the top in sports arena, becoming the NOC Chairman, Sri Lanka Hockey Federation President, Asian Hockey Federation Vice President, Asian Olympic Council Vice President. He presented a trophy in memory of L.E. Blaze for the match between Kingswood and Wesley, now this match is a regular fixture. This match is eagerly looked forward to by present boys, old boys and supporters of both schools.

Kingswood -Wesley on March 20th

This season this is going to be their first league game, which will be played on March 20th over here in Kandy. Rest of the matches this season are with schools like Isipathana College, St. Peters College, St. Josepha College and C.W.W. Kannangara MV.

In this year's tournament organized by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association, Kingswood are in the Segment - 1 "A" group.

This year the Kingswoodians are lucky to get one of their products as coach, M. Rizmeer Jabbar who started his rugby at this school and played for Kandy Sports Club and CR and FC and Sri Lanka Sevens and Fifteen a side wing three quarter. So this year under his guidance Kingvswood's rugby will be worth watching all the way through this season.

This season, Kingswood are in the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Association Segment - 1 A, with schools like Isipathana College, St. Peter's College, St. Joseph's College, Wesley College and C.W.W. Kannangara MV. The opening game is fixed for March 20th against Wesley College in Kandy.

Reeza Rafaideen - a good leader of team

Kingswood picked Reeza Rafaideen who did a good job as captain in the Sevens and helped the school to win the 'Bowl' will lead in the inter-schools league tournament. Reeza a tireless player will occupy the wing-three quarters position. He is also a good fullback.

The other senior players in the side are, W.K.S. Wimalaweera a fine flank forward and a top player in loose player loose player who should be a player to be watched. M.F. Ali who will be the play maker is also a senior and should be at his best.

Kingswood College pool for 2015:Reeza Rafaideen (Capt), S.R. Udagalathiyawa, H.A. Manadendra, K I.S. Wimalaweera, M.F. Ali, C B Chandrasena, R T Devapriya, P B Athauda, Sanoj Malaka, K Madushan, M Richard, I M Siriwardhana, S K Weerasinghe, A M Jibran, K Mihindukul Sooriya, K D Wijesooriya, C Wijesooriya, S S Fernando, M C B Senevirathne, A Madushan, H S Jason, L Podiarachchi, C Keshara, R Ekanayake, T D Waligampola., P Lakshan, A Saleem, P Marambage, R Hettiarachchi, S Dilranga, P R Gunatilaka. L Ranaweera