Alex Lazarus rugby coach par excellence

The man who guided Kandy SC as coach to win the first trophy, the Clifford Cup in 1992 was Alex Lazarus’, He was one of the finest rugby players to emerge from Kandy.He started his rugby at Trinity College, where he excelled in both rugby and studies. He is a man who gave his best on and off the field for rugby in Kandy and became the coaching colossus who helped to bring about Kandy’s Golden era.

Alex was a top rugby forward,starting as a prop at Trinity College in the mid 1960s and in his last year in1967 played under the leadership of Ajith Abeyratne and got his rugby colours in 1966.Some of his team mates that year were Shafie Jainudeen, Iswan Omar, Gamini Udugama, Stephen Paul, Anil Siriwardena, Dudley Dissanayake, Mahendra Talwatte, M. Affif, Errol Warne,Mohan Balasuriya, Jadi Dissanayake, Gogi Tillekeratne, B.Shanthi Kumar. NTBDassanayake, Ranjan Nadarajah, Rafi Ismail, Mark Sundaralingam and Prince Nayagam.

Soon after school he played for CH & FC and after a good display crossed over to Kandy Lake Club from where he ended up at Kandy RFC. He later played for Kandy Sports Club and also for Up-Country. Alex Lazarus took up coaching and did it from the heart producing many players while honesty, decency and fairness was a hallmark of his. He also coached the Sri Lanka Youth team and Dharmaraja College and when he was in charge of the Asgiriya Stadium he allowed St. Sylvester’sCollege rugby team to do their training in the mornings. Due to that Sylvestrian rugby improved and they took the game seriously.

After retiring from rugby playing and coaching he served in the committees of Kandy Sports Club,Central Province Rugby Football Union and also was one time live wire of the Old Trinitians Sports Club.

Lazarus was the second curator of the Asgiriya cricket stadium when international matches were played at this venue. None will forget the part he played to upgrade the Nittawela rugby ground.

His last job was as Director of Sports at Trinity College after serving as the senior boarding house master. It was under his coaching in 1987 and captaincy of Tyrell Rajapakse that Trinity College last won the School League Championship.

They had a wonderful season winning the Bradby Shield by beating Royal (7-3 and 19-3), S. Thomas’ by 52-0 to clinch the De Saram Shield and Isipathana 15-6 on their way to the League Title and also bagged the Premadasa Trophy by beating Isipathana 12-3 in the final. He hailed from the famous Lazarus family and was a well known personality in the rugby field.

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