Katugastota Antonians led by Dole excelled in rugby football
by Hafiz Marikar
Rugby Battle: It was Tuan Zarook Dole, who led the Katugastota
Antonians, to beat the Trinitians for the first time in 1972 at rugby in
the centenary year of Trinity. St. Anthony's College, having taken to
the game only in the late 1950's has come a long way in the game of
Rugby.
Much credit for Trinity's success is due to their first coach Bobby
Jayaweera, who spared no pains to lay a solid foundation for the game at
St. Anthony's College. The Antonians first team in 1956 comprised Bruce
Winter (Capt.), Nimal Fernando, Ranjith Benjamin, Anton Balasuriya,
Patrick Panabokke, Kenneth Beckmeyer, Mervyn Sikurajapathy, Freddie de
Run, L.C. Wijesinghe, A. Beckmeyer, H. Dissanayake, Christopher Pereira,
G. de Silva, Robin Koelmeyer, Steve Morrell, A.R. Imbuldeniya, R.
Maldeniya, Andre Titus, and Prarine de Silva.
Tuan Zarook hails from a popular sporting family in Kandy. His father
Tuan Hajireen Dole was the Chief Inspector of Police and was a prominent
figure in the Police boxing teams. His brothers Farook Dole, presently
in Australia, played rugger for the Kandy Lake Club, Kandy Sports Club
and Up-Country. Marzook Dole was a cricketer and a rugby player. His
nephews Rohan Abayakoon, Reza Dole, Shehan and Shasha Wijayawardena were
all superb rugger players.
Tuan Dole who led the Antonians in their first victory against the
Trinitians in 1972, was a polished and a crafty player. He started his
rugby career from under 12 and ended up as one of the best products of
St. Anthony's. It was under his leadership that St. Anthony's rugger
team had a very successful season and ended up as unofficial champions.
At that time, rugby was only thirteen years old in Katugastota. Tuan,
leading the team, for the first time, beat Trinity College at Nittawela
in a nail-biting finish by 13 points to 7. It was Trinity's first defeat
to the Antonians.
The Antonian team had the Rajaguru brothers, Tyrone Rosario, Clement
Fernando (elder brother of Minister Johnstone Fernando), Christopher
Anderson, Clive Fernando, Hilmy Jainudeen, C.P.P. Raj, Dayananda de
Silva, Nimala Malagamuwa, Tuan Dole, J.W. Waidyaratne, S.
Shanmuganathan, Geoff Paul, Ian Ludowyke and Kalu Perera.
The Antonian side was moulded by old Peterite Maurice de Silva from
the younger days and finally coached by old Trinitian Lucky Vitharane.
This game was refereed by C.H. Seneviratne who is also an old Trinitian.
After this successful season, Antonians toured India. The man who was
behind the success was their MIC Fr. A. Samarakoon and also the
Principal Fr. Steven Abrahams one of the best principals the school has
had in the last three decades.
That particular year, Trinity team was made out of B. Dharmaratne,
S.B. Hearth, G. Assan, Mohan Ganapathy, N. Ratnakuaran, A. Pathirane, Y.
Ching, Jeffrey Yu, Hanzil Samad, J. Ratwattte, A.E. Unantenne (Capt),
W.L.A. Balasuriya, C.Y. Ching, L. Bandaranayake, S. Wright.
Tuan, while playing for the school, played for Kandy Sports Club and
also for Havelock SC and later played for Dickoya MCC, CR and FC and
Dimbula ACC. He was a 'livewire' of Dimbula ACC as a player, captain,
committee member, coach, and ended as President. After stepping down
from planting, Tuan came back to Kandy and was a committee member and
the present President for the Central Province Rugby Football Union. He
was also in the Kandy Sports Club Committee. He captained the Outstation
Schools, Combined Schools, Up-Country, Sri Lanka President's XV and was
a Sri Lankan poolist for quite a while.
Dole was famous for his heady playing and was also one of the finest
goal-kickers who's technique was different. He was a fine thinker of the
game and was well known for his dummies and at most times made rugby his
favourite sport till he hung up his boots.
He has been on many tours abroad Sri Lanka manager. At present he is
one of the SLRFU Committee Members and a Match Commissioner.
Dole has a illustrious family, his two daughters, Shanz is a doctor
and Mumtaz a chartered Accountant, both Hillwoodians and the last named
was a top class athlete too.
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