Maurice - an undying love for rugby helped many teams

By Hafiz Marikar

TOP SPORTSMAN: In an undeniable fact that Kandy has produced the maximum number of sportsmen to represent the country, Maurice Perera has been the most enduring from the time he showed his class in the field of rugby, a versatile sportsman and a dedicated sports promoter, Maurice Perera may be one of the oldest Clifford Cup ruggerites at present. He started his school career at Poramadulla Central and later crossed over to Vidyartha College, from there to Trinity College, Kandy.

Maurice was an outstanding prop forward during his days. He learnt his rugger at Trinity College and played in 1953, along with players like Dharmasiri Madugalle who was the Captain of the team, L.L. Vitharane, R.R. Williams, C.S. Schokman, B.G. Jacobs, C.B. Nikatenne, H.F. Ratwatte, M.G. Ratwatte, Q.N.S. Israel, B.A. Nonis to name a few in that year. In the first leg of the Bradby, Trinity won by 13 points to nil and in the second leg by 3 points to nil. For his gutty performance, he was awarded the college rugger colours in his very first year.

Tall, dark and handsome, Maurice of that era, after his 1953 season, was in school till the end of the first-term in 1954. Before the school season kicked off, he was invited to play for Kandy Sports Club, and he took up the invitation, to play rugger and help his father in the business. When he first played for Kandy Sports Club, there were only a handfull of Sri Lankans, the rest were all Whites. In his very first year, he was able to play the full season. Against teams like CR & FC, CH & FC, Havelocks SC, Dimbulla ACC, Dickoya MCC, Uva and KV most of the players were the Britishers of that era.

First year

In his very first year, and for the first time Kandy Sports Club entered the Clifford Cup final in 1954, and played against CR & FC and ended up as losers. For his excellent performance during that season he was picked to represent the country as a prop forward. Then in the following year 1955 too, he played the full season for Kandy Sports Club and played in Cup final, this time too they went down to CR & FC. He continued his rugger with Kandy Sports Club until 1967.

In 1968 when, Fed Murray gave up coaching, Maurice took over and in the following in 1969 and guided the team to enter the Cup finals after 15 long years. Therefore, Maurice had the privilege of handling three Clifford Cup finals, two of which as a player and one as coach. Maurice says that Kandy SC would have won the game, if not for the blunder made by the Referee Darley Ingelton. This famous side was led by the late Lt. Gen. Denzil Kobbekaduwa, and he was well supported by evergreen Y.C. Chang, Mohan Balasuriya, Gavin Stevens, Rohan Abeyasundara, Jadi Dissanayake, Gerome Perira, Gamini Udugama, Jayantissa Ratwatte, Chang Faa Ching, George Jayasena, and Shafie Jainudeen played as a schoolboy, with another two schoolboys Fredrick Prins and Iswan Omar as reserves.

Then again in 1978 Kandy SC entered the Clifford Cup final, under Irwin Howie. That year, Mauirce was in the Committee. Irwin had players like Sunil Serasinghe, Sunil Munasinghe, H.G. Ariyarathne, Sen U. Swaan, Germ Grey, Sam Samarasekara, Lakshman Dullewea, Allan Vought, Nihal Ananda, Nimal Malagamuwa, Bola Guanrthne, D.H. Rajaguru and this writer.

Maurice in 1955 pioneered rugby at St. Anthony's College, and coached as well. He has helped and guided many schools in Kandy district to get off the ground and today they are all in the limelight of rugby in Sri Lanka, in particular Vidyartha College.

Helped 'Bala'

He gave a helping hand to late E.W. Baalsurya together with Sydney Ratwatte to start rugby at the Lake Club in the early 1960s, and this team was a huge power of strength for local rugby in Sri Lanka. He continued his enthusiasm and developed Old Trinitians Sports Club and Kandy Youth Sports Club to play 'A' Division rugby at the highest levels as a technical adviser.

In their very first year they beat the mighty CR & FC in Colombo. Coached Outstation Schools. He was also able to pioneer twelve new clubs for the SLRFU 'B' Division tournament.

He further introduced rugby for the first time in districts of Matale, Hanguranketha, Wasgamuwa, Gampola, Nawalapitiya, Hasalaka and Mahiyangana (Vedda Village) at grass roots level with the concept of "Gamata Kreeda" as President of the Central Province Rugby Football Union.

Then Maurice was invited to coach Trinity College in 1977, after Trinity suffered one of its heaviest defeats by Royal 62-00. He said that many of his friends advised him against coaching Trinity as the College wouldn't have a chance in the ensuring year. But under his guidance, Trinity won all the games in the tournaments. Again in 1978, under his coaching, Trinity won all the games, other than the Bradby.

Maurice's association with rugby was for well over 57 years, with great achievement behind his record. A strict disciplinarian, he has been ruthless on players who failed to adhere to instructions and misbehaved themselves, several key players have been dropped on charges of indiscipline. At Kandy Sports Club, he was a Player, later Coach, Committee Member, Secretary, Vice-President and now a Hony. Life Member.

He was in and out of the SLRFU Council since 1969. He held positions as Council Member, National Selector, and Rugby Development Co-ordinator.

In 1970, he had the pleasure of learning new methods of coaching and developing the game of rugby, from the Technical Advisor of the Rugby Football Union in Twickenham, under former British Rugby Lion Don Rutherford. Don had heard from the Bosuns Rugby team on tour to Sri Lanka in 1969 about the deteriorating standard of rugby in Sri Lanka, thereafter Don's best advice to Maurice had been to go out into distant places in search of talent and improve and develop the game from the village. This concept worked for only a few years under the Chairman Y.C. Chang and declined says Maurice.

Maurice also developed rugby in the North Central Province, on his own accord and at one time there were 22 schools in the game. Central PRFU have organized tournaments and spotted talent, some joined the forces and few went to clubs. Maurice says that what he learnt from Don was based on long-term policy where the results were evident. Maurice says according to Don, when English Rugby was down in the dumps, Don proved right; today English rugby is on tip of the World of Rugby.

As President of the Central PRFU, Maurice, scored an impressive "first" by sending the first ever women's rugby team to participate in a tournament in Pattaya. What was more impressive is that the team comprised players from Matale, Anuradhapura and Kandy.

Maurice's most significant achievement covering the wider spectrum of rugby sports activity and development was the creation of seven new clubs, namely Polgolla Rugby Club, Pilimatalawa Rugby Club, Matale Rugby Football Club, Nuwara Eliya Rugby Club, Mawilmada Rugby Club. During Maurice's leadership with Central Province Rugby, there was a separate tournament for these clubs along with Old Trinitian SC, Old Antonians SC, Old Rajans SC, Old Kingswoodians SC, Old Sylvestrians SC and Old Vidayrtha SC. The winner received the Maurice Perera Trophy.

Best years

The best years of Central Province Rugby was under Maurice's leadership, where he was assisted by that hard working Secretary Iswan Omar. Maurice was also good at motor racing and won several meets in his "Maurice Mini" He is also the founder President of the Kandy Motor Sports Club and at present is the Trustee of the Central Province Rugby Football Union. He manages his own Travel Company, which is the oldest in Kandy. He has helped many sportsmen and teams in overseas travel.

At a certain time he gave a helping hand for the common man's game of football and was Vice-President of the Kandy Association Football League. His only son Devapriya Perera played for Kandy SC (rugby) and is also a qualified rugby coach. He was Trinity's coach at certain time. His two daughters Saku and Manthi played for Kandy women's team. His wife Ranjani was a great fan of rugby and still is. His grandson Sean Wanigasekara jnr captained Trinity in 2006 and was an automatic choice for the National Schools Rugby team, after his tenure at Trinity he played for Kandy Sports Club. He is now in USA for studies and plays for State team regularly.

Still, Maurice can be seen at every rugger match and also gives other sports whatever they need.

Maurice, speaking to me about this year's rugby season, said that Kandy Sports Club once again became champions of rugby in Sri Lanka and will be a force to reckon with for sometime.

Unfortunately Kandy to pull out of the Inter Club seven's 2010 due to financial concerns. He said that in the league and knockouts, Navy SC were at the best and were placed third in the League and second in the Clifford Cup with CR & FC and Air Force giving their best.

On behalf of the officials and the rugby loving public of Kandy, I congratulate Maurice Perera for his dedication and great commitment to rugby for over five decades.

We are assured by him that he will continue to be of assistance both in person and financially for rugby, his greatest love in the field of sports.