Two former Trinity College ruggerites Pradeep Basnayake and Kavinda Jayasena, both “Lion” winners were elected as President and Secretary of the Central Province Rugby Football Union on Saturday morning, at the AGM held at the Kandy Club. Pradeep Basnayake takes over from former St Anthony’s College ruggerite who led the school to beat Trinity College for the first time in 1972 Tuan Dole, who stepped down at the AGM The outgoing secretary Nihal Viper Gunaratne jnr. who is after a surgery due to an ankle injury was unable to attend the meeting.
Pradeep Basnayake played for Trinity College in the years 1994 and 1995, and led Kandy SC and Sri Lanka He is a double international, represented the country in Rugby and Basketball. He is a world rugby level II course holder. He played for Kandy SC for ten years and many years for the country and gave his best as a top class forward. Now he is a top class coach and started his coaching at Trinity in 2008 being in charge of the Under 20 outfit and later on taking charge of the Under 18 side along with Thushitha De Silva.
Kavinda Jayasena played for Trinity for many years and later for Kandy SC, Havelock SC and Sri Lanka. He is an IRB rugby commissioner and the present overall rugby manager of Trinity College rugby. Represented his school at all age groups (13, 15, 17 & 1st XV) and at club level. He represented Havelock Sports Club from 2001-2002 and from 2006 to 2015, captaining the side in 2008 and 2011. In the year 2003 he came back to his home town where he learnt the game and played for Kandy SC in 2003. Then in the mercantile tournament he played for Hatton National Bank from 2000 -2004. At national level, represented the Sri Lanka Youth team in 1999, then in 2001 played for the Sri Lanka team in the world cup-qualifying matches. He was team manager Havelock Sports Club 2013 & 2015 seasons, coached Lanka Hospitals Rugby team for the Mercantile Rugby 7s in 2012 to 2014.
It was nice to see two former presidents Mohan Samarakoon and Edwin Viper Gunaratne Snr. Coming in as Trustees with Manjula Samarakoon as Vice President a new name for this Union and M. Rifas Treasurer.
So, much is expected from the new committee to promote the game, The Central Province Rugby Football Union (CPRFU) was established in 1992. Its founder members are Kandy SC, Dimbulla A & CC, Dickoya M CC and Peradeniya University. and later clubs like OTSC and Kandy Youth, all of whom have at one time or another competed in the SLRFU ‘A’ Division competition. The CPRFU also included Katugastota Rugby Football Club, Polgolla Rugby Football Club, Mawilmada Rugby Football Club, Matale Rugby Football Club, Nuwara Eliya Rugby Football Club and Pilimatalawa Rugby Football Club and played in CPRFU tournaments. By 2008 had 18 clubs playing in the up-country rugby league. There are 52 schools in the Central Province engaged in rugby apart from the leading schools teams likeTrinity, Kingswood, St. Anthony’s, Dharmaraja, St. Sylvester’s, Sri Sumangala, Sri Rahula, and Vidyartha.
The people who gave a big hand for CPRFU from its inspection in 1992 were Lionel Almeida, Maurice Perera the man who developed rugby in the North Central Province and Central Province. Under his presidency he organized several tournaments and spotted talented youth. He scored an impressive first by sending the first ever women’s rugby team to participate in a tournament in Thailand. Then Dr. Sarath Kapuwatte, Iswan Omar, Hafiz Marikar, Leslie de Soysa, Trevor Nugawela, Mohan Samarakoon, Edwin Viper Gunaratne (snr), Tuan Dole, Harin Costa.
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