Many seem to have forgotten those past glorious moments of rugby in Kandy, turning the pages of time, I go back to a memorable rugby match that was played in 1969, on a Saturday at Nittawela, amidst tense excitement, where Kandy RFC toppled their home town rivals and table leaders Kandy SC by 9 points (two tries and a penalty) to 6 points (a try and a penalty), this was a “A” division second leg match. It was a bruising game, with no quarter asked nor given and Y.C. Chang of Kandy SC and M de Almeida of Kandy RFC both forwards were ordered off the field for rough play in the second half. In this game Kandy RFC from the kick off played constrictive rugby.
Thanks to play maker Maurice de Silva from the kick off gave his best. In this game Kandy RFC won the ball in the line outs and set scrums, inconsistent heeling and aggressive follow-ups by the Kandy RFC scrum have E. Tissera, left Kandy SC’s halves combine of skipper Denzil Kobbekaduwa and Jayantissa Ratwatte, wide open for Kandy RFC’s fast breaking wing forwards Niyaz Majeed and N.Jayatilake. There were few three-quarter movements, but full back Nihal Abeyartne of Kandy SC and A.B. Ranasinghe of Kandy RFC showed up well in a game where both sides relied on the high kicked ball. Playing more cohesive rugby Kandy SC harassed by KRFC’s scrum half and wing forwards. Neither the experience Denzil nor Jayantissa were allowed to settle down. Maurice Silva’s high kicks made the Kandy SC back line look thin. But full back Abayartne playing extremely well defended grandly to keep them at bay, but against the run of play second row forward Dr. D. Makuloluwa kicked a penalty before half time to give Kandy SC a 3-0 lead.
In the second half Maurice Silva passed to skipper Mahes Sabarathnam saw the latter sprinting through in typical Saba fashion and scored a grand try which gave the KRFC the equalizer. Kandy SC’s forwards form this stage attacked fighting the loose maul with Gamni Udugama, fearlessly meeting all what KRFC had to offer, Denzil off a big heel passed to wing forward Jadi Dissanayake who streaked through the defence to send Makulolluwa for a try. The next phase was the KRFC’s as their forwards led by Majeed tore into the attack.Kandy SC were penalized for an infiengement and Maurice de Silva put over the penalty to make it 6 all. It was perhaps left to master tactician Maurice to make the winning move. A grubber beat fullback Abryartne and there was winger M. Nanayakkara sneaking through for the winning try. Alex Lazarus failed with the conversion. Some of the KRFC match winning players were Mahes Sabarathnam, Maurice de Silva, Maurice Windus, Farok Dole, Nihal Jayatilake, K.B. Marasinghe, Dennis Killey, George Thambiraga, Mauirce Windus, Niyas Majeed,
There are still a few who remember Kandy RFC and Kandy Lake Club’s rugby and the part played by EW Balasuriya, the founder of Kandy Lake Club and Kandy RFC who promoted the game for years and produced top rugger players. This club took up rugby in 1963 and played in CRFU “B” division. Some who backed to start rugger were Col.Stanley Ratwatte, Noel Paranagama, Dr. C.D.L. Fernando, Sidney Ratwatte, all are not among the living. And it was Sydney Ratwatte and Maurice Perera who started coaching, and Niyas Majeed was the first Captain. This club did well and became “B division champions in 1966 under Farook Dole, the original captain of the year was T.B. Wijesinghe, who half way through the season crossed over to CR & FC. In that year 1966 they beat all the teams in the “B” division, but failed to beat NCC it was a draw. In the following year, entered the “A” Division and played along with clubs like Kandy SC, CR & FC, CH & FC, Havelock SC, Uva Gymkhana Club, Dimbula A & AC, Dickoya MCC and Army. And in the first year in the “A” division in 1967, they opened the season with the game against defending champions Havelock SC, this match was played at Havelock Park and the game ended in a 3-all draw. Next game was against the star studded CH & FC, the side was packed with Englishmen.
This game, too, ended in a 3-all draw at Maitland Crescent. Then in the third game, beat Sri Lanka Army at Galle Face. Then in the return clash against Champion Havelock SC played at Nittawela, Kandy Lake Club were able to beat them. This club, after entering the “A” division, went places in rugby. Sad to say however, they got the knockout blow from the authorities of that era, for playing professional players. With that blow from the controlling body. E.W. Blasuriya formed the Kandy RFC (KRFC), and played up to 1973.
From 1967 Kandy Lake club played in the “A” division and was a major force in the rugby arena with a galaxy of top class players and gave all the senior clubs anxious moments. This club helped many players to do well in the field of rugby. Some of them are TB Wijesinghe who started his rugby at Kandy Lake Club and became the first product of Vidyartha to play for Sri Lanka. He was followed by George Jayasena while some of the other players who played for the Up-country and a few for the country were Farook Dole, Maurice de Silva, Carl Fernando, Sarath Kulatilleke, Didacus de Almeida, Mahesh Sabaratnam, Gavin Stevens, Alex Lazarus, Nihal Jayatillake, Niyas Majeed, Jadi Dissanayake, Iswan Omar and Shafie Jainudeen.
At the end of the 1973 season, a former CPRFU president Dr. KB Sangakkara well known in the rugby circle at that time, requested EW to amalgamate his club with Kandy SC and play under one banner. EW agreed to it and they played under one name Kandy Sports Club from 1974 with the Kandy SC jersey and Kandy RFC colour on the stockings.
Then in the follwong year 1975 Iswan Omar became the first from Kandy RFC to lead Kandy SC and that is the year E.W. Balasuriya became the President for the first time of the Nitawella Club and took the club up to the Clifford Cup Semi-finals, but had no luck and lost to Sri Lanka Air Force during extra - time.
Then again in 1986, ‘E.W’ became the President of Kandy Sports Club and Ashan Ratwatte was the Captain and M.H. Marikar the Manager cum rugby convener. The club-came to the R. Premadasa Trophy semi-finals.
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