Lt. Gen. Denzil Kobbekaduwa one of the finest ruggerites and hockey player Kandy produced was remembered by sports loving fraternity, on his 25th death anniversary last Tuesday. Late Denzil was a colorful military officer and a fine rugby personality. He died whilst commanding the security forces in the north when the vehicle he was travelling went over a pressure mine. He was a gentleman sportsman during his playing days. After hanging up his boots he continued his contribution to rugby as a reputed referee a knowledgeable coach and an able administrator.
He was one of the finest warriors ever produced by the Army in our contemporary history and he fell silent on August 8, 1992. Denzil as he was popularly known began his brilliant school career at Hillwood Girls College where he did his primary and later at Trinity College, where his sporting career started. His rugby started at Trinity College Kandy known as the cradle of rugby in the country. He was also a top class hockey player. He won colors and the coveted Lion in rugby, along with P.A. Buultjens and E.D.K. Roles in 1959. He also won hockey colors the same year together with L.U.B. Dissanayake, N.C. Molligoda and L.S. Perera. Denzil was an athlete, basketball player and a cricketer. He was also a School Prefect of Lemuel House in 1960 and was later appointed Senior Prefect the same year. However this appointment lasted only for a week since he opted to pursue a career with the Army.
He first played rugger for the senior team in 1957 under Ken B de Joodt, and paired off as scrum half with fly half Nimal Maralande. In 1959 it was Denzil’s turn to captain. Royal won the first leg of the Bradby 5-0 at Bogambara grounds, the second leg at Longden Place was won by Trinity 6-0.
In 1960 Denzil began his illustrious career with the Army and went for training to England at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst for two years. After successfully completing his training he returned to the country and was a regular member of the Army rugby team, which he went to captain later. He played for the Army in 1964/65 seasons but in 1966 he was unfortunately sent on compulsory leave and during that time he played for Havelock Sports Club. In 1967 he came back to the city where he learnt the game, and played for Kandy Sports Club. Denzil’s finest year in rugby was in 1969, where under his leadership Kandy SC rose to great heights and beat league champions Havelock SC 11-8 in the Clifford Cup quarter-finals. They went on to beat CH and FC 3-0 in the semi-finals but in the final went down to CR and FC 6-12.
The same year 1969, Denzil’s greatest moment was in August when Sri Lanka played against Bosons. It was a two test series. In both games Sri Lanka went down fighting and Denzil played a key role in containing the visitors by tackling his opposite number Nick Vosper to a standstill and hit it off smoothly with fly half Omar Sheriff. In October he toured Singapore with the Sri Lanka team. He also played for Defence Services, and Up-Country in the Capper Cup.
He created history by becoming the first secretary of the SLRFU while being in the game. He had the privilege of blowing the whistle in the first SLRFU President’s Trophy and R. Premadasa trophy finals in 1978 and 1984 and also the Bradby and Clifford Cup finals. He was the 1974 Rugby Asiad SLRFU secretary under the presidency of Summa Navaratnam. Later Denzil was offered the vice presidency of the SLRFU on several occasions in the 1980’s which was the stepping stone to the SLRFU presidency. But he turned down the offers as he considered his service to the country was more important than rugby.
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