Former Sri Lanka skipper cum head coach Radika Hettiarachchi is back in the field of rugby in Sri Lanka after serving a six months ban.
He banks on his experience, skills, strength and dedication to win back his berth as a top rugby coach in the Sri Lankan rugby field again, like he did by joining Dharmaraja College Kandy as their rugby head coach on the invitation of the school management.
He has rendered his services immensely by bringing Rajans rugby to a higher level. Under his guidance Dharmaraja College won the inter schools Division 1 league rugby championship in 2013 for the first time in the school’s rugby history of 45 years.
The rugby has passed many landmarks recently, all these happened during a period where Radika was out of the rugby field due to an unfortunate six months ban which ended in January 30, 2017. He was suspended along with a few other players due to some of his players getting involved in a fight that broke out during the schools match against St Joseph’s College.
He was reduced to a mere spectator then as he was serving the ban, but this lean patch in his career hasn’t taken anything away from his passion for this robust game.
Radika believes that competition amongst national coaches would be high following Sri Lanka’s inspiring performances in the Asian rugby sevens circuit by the Senior national team finishing second, along with the Under 20 team and Under 18 teams dream run in winning the sevens championship and becoming number one shocking many teams that included Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea.
“After the ban was enforced on me, I was really sad for myself and wanted to migrate to New Zealand with my family. But my close relatives, well wishes and all the rugby loving public in the island who loves me wanted me to stay back,” Radika told the ‘Daily News’.
“After giving serious thought to it, I knew that they were correct as I have a burning desire in me to get back onto the rugby field in coaching, since I have this unshakeable belief that my commitment to rugby will help me achieve goals,” he said.
Speaking on the goals he has set for himself in rugby Radika said that he has a dream of seeing Sri Lanka finish amongst the top seven teams in Asia.
He said that to achieve this, the national team would have to be strengthened by the inclusion of at least two foreign players who are professionals.
“I am of the opinion that a foreign professional rugby player will give 100% irrespective of whatever the team he represents.”
Radika also encourages allowing expatriates to play in the domestic local tournaments on the grounds that local players have a lot to learn from them.
This big made ex wing three quarter counts a lot of experience in representing Sri Lanka against foreign teams that field players who are both big and fast.
“Teams like Japan, Hong Kong and Korea have prop forwards who can run very fast. I think the Sri Lankan rugby players also should work extra hard on their fitness levels, if they are to start challenging Asia’s super powers in rugby,” Radika said.
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