St. Anthony's Katugastota shows plenty of promise in rugby

By Hafiz MARIKAR

RUGBY: This year St. Antony's College, Katugastota are making a determined effort to do well in the schools rugby, 'A' division competition 2011. Although the Antonians were famous in the field of cricket, football, hockey, boxing and athletics and after ruggger was introduced in late 1950s earned them a big name in this sport.

The Antonians produced Priyantha Ekanayake one of the best players in the game, who also was the First National Rugby captain. He is the only Sri Lanka captain to have led the Country at four consecutive Rugby Asiads in its history. Priynatha was also invited to play for the Asian XV and led the side.

Priyantha not only led the National team, but was also a prominent figure in the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union as Council Member and later President during the year 2005/2006.

St. Anthony's College, Katugastota was founded in 1854 and is one of the leading Roman Catholic Schools in Sri Lanka.

Cricket introduced in 1903

Cricket was introduced to St. Anthony's by Fr. Andrew Vanlangenberg O.S.B. in 1903, and a team known as 'St. Anthony's College Cricket Club' consisting of staff and schoolboys was formed under the captaincy of Fr. Andrew himself. The inaugural match was played in Colombo against Colombo Carlton Cricket Club. The completion of the first fifty years was marked by the first ever school's cricket match involving St. Anthony's, which was played in 1904, against Dharmaraja College, and the Antonians had a 109-run victory.

St. Anthony's College, took to rugby in the late 1950s and have now come a long way in the game and are holding their own against many of the schools that played the game long before them. In recent years the Antonians rugby has got tremendous boost and occupies a prominent place among the schools. It was in the year 1968 that the Antonian's rugby showed its maturity under the leadership of H.M. Kuddus, when for the first time, held the cricket rivals Trinity College led by Ajith Abeyratna to a 3 all draw at the Campus Grounds, Peradeniya in a blockbuster game. That season they beat more fancied teams like St. Joseph's, Royal, St. Peter's, St. Benedict's and S. Thomas'.

The Antonians rugger team which had a very successful season after the game was introduced in the year 1972. At that time rugby was only thirteen years old at Katugastota.

The team was led by Tuan Zarook Dole and for the first time they beat Trinity College at Nittawela in a nail-biting finish and the score line reading 13-7. For the first time Trinity were beaten by the Antoanins. The Antonian team had D.H. Rajaguru, Tyrone Rosario, Clement Fernando, Christopher Anderson, Clive Fernando, Hilmy Jainudeen, C.P.P. Raj, Dayananda de Silva, Nimala Malagamuwa, Tuan Zarook Dole, J.W. Waidyaratne, S. Shanmuganathan, Geoff Paul and Kalu Perera. The side was coached by Old Trinitian Lucky Vitharane.

In 1975, the team was coached by famous Old Trinitian Iswan Omar who was also captaining the Kandy Sports Club that year. In that year, the Antonians were holding the Trinitians 6-all until the last five minutes when Trinity was awarded a penalty under the post and lost the game by 9 points to 6 points.

Once again in 1987 under Leroy Fonseka St.Anthony's beat Trinity and enjoyed a good season and emerged runner-ups in the school league championship.

They were behind Royal College. St.Anthony's remained unbeaten winning nine matches and the tenth was a draw. In that year skipper Leroy Fonseka had the rare honour of representing the country as a schoolboy at the 11th Rugby Asiad in Hong Kong.

Some of the Antonains who played club rugger without playing for the school were: Farook Dole he started his rugby with Kandy Lake Club and later played for Kandy RFC, Kandy Sports Club, Up-Country and Ceylon Presidents XV, Mahesh Sabarathnam _ a double International too started his rugby with Kandy Lake Club and later played for Kandy RFC, CR & FC, Up-Country and Sri Lanka, Dr. R. B. Makuloluwa played for University of Colombo, Havelocks S C and Kandy Sports Club, Steve Morrel, A. Titus, Bruce Winter, F. Paul, Aile were some of the names which come to mind.

Ekanayake - top player

The best Antonian out of all was Priyantha Ekanayake, the best forward to come out of this school. He fist played for Kandy Sports Club later went to CH & FC and from there to CR & FC after a good stint.

He came back to Kandy Sports Club and helped them to win the first Cup. And he is the first Antonian to lead the Sri Lanka side and also led the Country at four Asiads.

He is the first Antonian President.

The others who did well were his brother L.V. Ekanayake, Maurice Joachim _ the first cup wining captain of Kandy Sports Club, Leroy Fonseka, Biumal Fernando, Jewa Jayasiri, Suresh Kaasi, Chana Seneviratne, Lasantha Wijesuriya, Lalantha Karunatilake, Surnaga Kodithuwaku, Shanka Fernando, Nihal Gunaratne (Viper Jnr), Mohamed Ali, Jude Pilai _ another top center, Pradeep Liyanage, Selvin Bulathsinghala, Pradeep Fernando, Malith Silva, Samera Silva, Prasad Chaturanga, A. Sahajan, Imran Bestamin, Tikiri Dissanayake, Rohan Jayasundara.

This year, the Antonians are led by No. 8 Sanka Rajaguru who is capable of leading the side well for the rest of the games against Dharmaraja _ this match was played last evening, vs St. Peter's 14th May, S. Thomas' 21st May, Kingswood 28th May, Royal 4th June, Science College 11th June, St. Joseph's 9th July and Wesley 16th July.

The Antonians should do well as all these matches are to be played at Nittawela. The Vice captain is second row forward Nirodha Sooriyabandara who is a fine team man.

A look into the Antonian pack sees it having a firm footing with players like Tharaka Premachandra, Mohamed Ali, Panduka Angammana, who are the front row forwards. Dileepa de Silva and Vice Captain Nirodha Sooriyabandara are in the second Row, with Roshan Roch and Sajeed Lahir as the flankers. Sanka Rajaguru, the leader in the No 8.

Looking after the back division will be Dinesh Tharanga who will pair off with Chamara Kumara, B. David and Charles Praveen are the Centres, with C.T.B. Weerasekara and I.D. Ariyapala as wingers. Danush Dayan is the fullback.

Priyantha Gunarathne, a product of Vidyartha College, who later played for Kandy Sports Club is the coach.