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| Sunday, 15 June 2003 |
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Viper (Jnr) off to Sydney to learn rugby coaching by KANDY SPORTS CORR. Former St. Anthony's College, Kandy Sports Club and Sri Lanka 'granite hard' flanker Viper Nihal Gunaratne (Jnr.) left Sri Lanka last week for a two year stay in Sydney, Australia where he will follow a coaching program in rugby coaching and the latest techniques. He is being accompanied by his wife Roshitha Nilmini who is a doctor attached to the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital who too will follow a specialised course in Pathology. Nihal Gunaratne who is affectionately known as 'Viper Junior' is one of the finest players produced by Kandy Sports Club who has excelled playing in both in the pack and in the back division, though his pet position is flanker due to his ability to break off fast and feed the back division with scoring opportunities. He has played as second row forward, flanker, No. 8, scrum half and winger. One year, though selected to play in the pack for Sri Lanka, he was the stand-by scrum half. His utility play was an asset to the Kandy side at a time the club was in the doldrums. He started playing for St. Anthony's College from 1974 to 1976, captaining the side in his final year. Thereafter,he was a regular player for Kandy Sports Club having played for the club for a record 16 years. He captained the club in 1984 and coached the club in 1989 whilst playing for the club. He also coached St. Anthony's College for years and Dharmaraja College for 4 years and one of his best products is Sri Lanka centre Indrajith Bandaranayake who went on to captain Sri Lanka. He was a regular choice for the National team for tours abroad and when foreign teams played in Sri Lanka. He first represented Sri Lanka in 1980 at the Rugby Asiad and played in the HongKong Sevens in 1982 and other foreign sides like Penguins, Bracknell, Loughborough and a number of Rugby Asiads and also for the Upcountry in their annual Capper Cup match with Low Country. |
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