Champion Science players had manioc for 'drugs'

How a team of humble schoolboys travelled in public busses to shame the elites and bag a prize:

In an age when even schoolboy sportsmen have mastered the art of drug-taking, Science College's champion rugby team had their own alternative formula for success in the form of a native root whose medicinal value has often been overlooked.

The energy-boosting source was the combative to what most other schools call "supplements" taken during the four-month long season which in some quarters has raised eyebrows and even forced one foreign coach of a team to call for the discarding of such enhancers.

"Science College does not have facilities like found in other schools. We have no Supplements and no gym. The only nourishment that the boys had was manioc (root vegetable) and beef", said coach Colin Denish.

Manioc is also one of the favourte foods of the world famous Fijian rugby players who are prized for their athleticism, speed and physical strength on the field.

Known by their previous name of Sattissara in downtown Mount Lavinia, most players in the Science College team come from humble beginnings in surrounding towns, don't state surnames and play with a sense of pride that few insiders like Denish can vouch for.

"They (players) travel for matches in public busses and there is no such thing as a recovery period or cooling down in a swimming pool. They have not even felt a scrumming machine", said Denish who once captained the elite St. Peter's College team.

Science College's rise is somewhat of a rags-to-riches story in that the experts gave them no dog's chance to overhaul a team like the formidable Isipathana College to whom finals can sometimes be a walk-in-the-park.

Denish and the team, led by their industrious Number Eight Lasindu Karunatilleke, knew exactly what they were up against but other than maintaining dressing room composure and keeping to the basics there was nothing extraordinary they were to deploy on the field of play.

"We were just calm and cool in the hours leading up to the match", recalled Denish. "To be a champion team you got to be level-headed".

Science College's story is likely to inspire teams that have been struggling and written off over the years with no hope in sight other than see some of their promising players spirited away by the privileged schools.

Their turn-around, according to Denish, came when Science College beat St. Peter's College in a League match that triggered a massive shake-up in the latter and lifted the morale of the former.

They saw a totally new horizon to conquer and with a backstage team called the Science Rugby Supporting Group (SRSG) spearheaded by former Sri Lanka second rower Nazim Mohamed, it was just a matter of days that the wheel turned full circle.

"I noticed a marked difference in the boys and realized we can win the Knock-Outs. It was all about confidence", said Denish. "We had forwards who could have matched any team and a very skillful backline. Under pressure the boys did not panic and they did exactly what was told".

Science College will be the team to beat next season when all eyes will be focused on them. They will miss the services of only three players from the champion outfit including skipper Karunatilleke who will be out of school and waiting to be grabbed by club.