Sri Lanka rugby coach packs his bags, back to school
by Callistus Davy
Sri Lanka rugby coach Colin Denish has returned to his old school,
not to learn his alphabet but in a position to demand anything he wants
for the new season a year after being told he had no part to play in a
radically changed set-up.
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Colin Denish |
Denish was a loyal coach of St. Peter's College and moved up the
rungs from grassroot level only to find himself sidelined after the team
failed to produce results the school expected in 2014. But snatched away
by rival Science College, Denish come out with flying colours as his
adopted school crowned itself Knock-out champions last year in a
sensational change of fortunes for the former centre.
He could not hide the joy of returning to serve an academy whose team
he once captained as he looked forward to resurrecting the pride of a
school held in high esteem but ruined by too many grandiose self-styled
pundits last year.
"I want to make a fresh start (at St. Peter's) and have a new
beginning", said Denish who coached the Sri Lanka Sevens team at the
Singapore Asian Youth Championship in December. But Denish will be
taking charge a new-look St. Peter's College team without several senior
players some of whom broke down unable to conceal the grief and
accusations after losing twice to Science College last year.
"The boys know me well and I have to put the bits and pieces together
while keeping it simple. It will have to be the basics, the skill level
and the discipline that will count most", said Denish.Hailing from a
family of five boys, all of whom donned the rugby jersey, Denish
received a huge boost when the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union enlisted
him to coach the Under-20 Sevens team last year after he served as
assistant coach of the Youth outfit in the traditional fifteen-a-side
game.
Cynics who engineered his ouster from St. Peter's may get the
assurance that Denish will have no axe to grind other than a plot to
settle old scores on the field of play.
"When you know you are back it's a great feeling. It's about
commitment and the school comes first", said Denish. |
