One of the top ruggerites to come out of St. Sylvester’s College was Aruna Rankothge, who was a Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) elite‘A’ panel International ‘A’ Division Referee. He represented the school 1st XV team from1989-1991 and later turned out for Kandy Youths CC and Kandy Sports Club from1992-1997 as a flanker and centre He was a top ruggerite and coach,his first coaching experience was at his alma mater St. Sylvester’s College and under his guidance they entered the “A” Division of the schools rugby tournament and put up a stunning display in defeating Trinity College 6-0at Nittawela in1998. By a strange twist of fate Aruna Rankothge successfully coached theTrinity junior rugby teams for several years before he quit. He has over 25 years experience in rugby refereeing both in Sri Lanka and at international matches. He has been in the Asian Rugby referees panel for a long time and has officiated at top level club and school rugby matches including the prestigious Bradby Shield and couple of cup finals
His experience in rugby refereeing has taken him to many countries like India, Pakistan, China,Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Dubai, Philipines,Indonesia and Abu Dhabi. He had the honour of refereeing at the under 20 Junior World Cup (IRB) qualifying matches in China (2004), Korea (2008), and Philippines (2009). He was also picked to officiate at the South East Asian rugby sevens tournament in Thailand (2007). He was given a promotion and did the big league at the Asian Five nation encounter between Arabian Gulf and Hong Kong in Dubai and the India vs Kazakhstan encounter as an assistant referee.
He did another assignment at the Dubai Sevens in December 2010 and 2011. He was vice president of Sri Lanka Rugby Referees Society on many occasions and has given his best in refereeing.
He was an ‘A‘division referee and also an ex-international panel referee, former ARFU ‘A’panel referee, Level 3 qualified referee and a Level II TMO.
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