Prince of Wales...... from Cricket to Rugby Football
by Dilwin MENDIS - Moratuwa Sports Corr.
RUGBY FOOTBALL: Moratuwa has been famous for cricket for many years
and the game was introduced to schools like Prince of Wales from 1876
and later to other schools St. Sebastian's Moratu Vidyalaya and
Methodist High School. However, the game of Rugby Football is exciting
to the young schoolboys and after it was introduced to Prince of Wales
in 1979, the game caught the fancy of the schoolboys.
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Prince of Wales Rugger Team of 1979 for Philip Buultjens
Trophy Seven-a-side Rugby Tournament. Seated L to R: Ranjith
Samarajeeva (MIC), Sampath de Silva (Captain), M.E.C.
Fernando (Principal), S.E. De Silva (Coach).
Standing L to R: Geethaka Warnakula (Vice-Captain), Jagath
Mahasen, Dishan Fernando, Asiri Perera, Susil Kariyawasam,
M. Hevawasam, Sheli Fonseka, Rohan Fonseka and M. Faleel.
Picture by Dilwin Mendis, Moratuwa Sports Corr. |
When, former Principal M.E.C. Fernando - an old Cambrian himself,
introduced the game ably supported by another old boy former Assistant
Superintendent of Police Willie Fernando, the interest caught on with
the boys. The first coach S.E. de Silva - who was a member of the Sri
Lanka Rugby Football Union and an old Kingswoodian. It was not easy to
make the boys interested in rugby football, after being so very attached
to cricket, but as time passed by, the Cambrians took to the game.
Learning by watching others play, has been Cambrians way of catching the
finer points of the game and the energetic coach at the start S.E. de
Silva took great interest in teaching the finer points of the game to
the boys.
This year, Prince of Wales are the unbeaten champions of All-Island
Division Three Under 20 Singer League Tournament and they have already
fixed up an annual "Big Match" against Science College, Mount Lavinia.
The first rugby match played by Prince of Wales was in 1979 against
Wesley the Wesley won the match by 8 points to 5. Prince of Wales was
captained by Sampath de Silva. The Cambrians also played against
Nalanda, S. Thomas' and Zahira college.
The game caught the fancy of the players and officials of Prince of
Wales and the school entered the Philip Buultjens Trophy Rugby Sevens
Tournament in 1979 at the CR and FC grounds at Longden Place and this is
the tournament that really gave the 'go ahead' for the Cambrians in
their rugby football campaign.
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