Antonians aim to rise from the dust
Sixth in 2011 last year was expected to be better. Alas for the best laid plans! St. Anthony’s College Katugastota plummeted even further purely because of the exodus of four back division players. The forwards gave it their all, but once the ball was released to the back division players, they were sadly lacking in know-how and talent.
The School authorities and the Old Boys Rugby Wing put their heads together and came up with the panacea for their ills. A foreign coach – one not entirely unaccustomed to Sri Lankan schoolboy rugby players – was signed up at some cost. A coaching team was also put together.
Thus began Theo Serafinm’s association with Antonian rugby. Too much can’t be read into best week’s morale – shattering loss to St. Peter’s. The latter are one of the best ‘A’ Division sides, and to meet them first up was unfortunate. Things can only get better. That was the storm before the calm.
Team manager Vikum Jayasuriya is confident that his team can finish in the first five.
Third year player, hooker Yakoob Ali leads the Antonians. Experienced Yakoob is not fazed and is prepared to meet the challenges head on. The presence of last year’s skipper Panduka Angammana is a source of great solace. A fourth year player, Panduka occupies the important number eight spot. Last year he was the side’s leading try scorer. Even in the shambles that was the Peterite game. Panduka was one player who stood out. A Sri Lankan youth player, he should take it as a challenge to lift the team in partnership with his skipper.
Fazloor Rahman and Charles Praveen are third year players. Indu Prasad, Tharindu Sahabandu, Mohamed Aramesh, Newman Dilan, Rasiah Rumesh, Krishan Basil, Sajith Hemantha and Sashika Weerasekera are all in their second year.
For a school that produced rugby greats such as Priyantha and Lakshman Ekanayake, Lasantha Wijesuriya, Leroy Fonseka, Maurice Joachim, Prasad Chaturanga and, latterly, Sanka Rajaguru, the present state of Antonian rugby must be galling. Rev. Fr. Araliya Jayasundara is the prefect of games and the school couldn’t have found a better person to plot their revival.
The squad:
Props: Tharindu Sahabandu, Mohamed Anas, Indu Prasad Hooker: Yakoob Ali (Capt) Locks: Mohamed Aramesh, Damian Wijesuriya, Shemal Wijeratne
Flankers: Newman Dilan, Narada Tennekoon No. 8: Panduka Angammana Scrum half: Hassan Careem, Dulaj Jayatissa
Fly half: Fazloor Rahman, Nimesha Gunasinghe
Centres: Charles Praveen (VC), Rasiah Rumesh, Chanuka Ranaraja
Wingers: K.M.P. Kasturi, Krishan Basil
Full back: Sajith Hemantha, Sashika Weerasekera
Officials: Theo Serafinm (Coach), Priyantha Gunaratne (Asst. Coach), Saman Kotalawela, Suranga Kodituwakku
Candidate to return?
There is hectic activity at the Citadel these days with the fast approaching elections. The latest bit of news is that a candidate who is said to have been rejected by the higher authorities is making a comeback and already his henchmen are busy at work supporting him. Busy on this front is a coach from the South. He is said to be making good use of the vehicles at hand to make sure that his favourite wins at the polls. If this is the situation before the candidate is elected what about the aftermath? This person is bound to run haywire if he wins, those in the know keep saying.
The Cold War
Also on the same front there is a Cold War between two officials. One person, who had come in from a certain individual’s camp for a key post, is now saying that he is an independent candidate. The leader of the other group is livid as he says this individual has said that he is from his camp and has now turned a new leaf and says he is independent. This has prevented one side from fielding an individual for the key post.
Varying expenses
A popular sport played with a net and a ball especially on the beach has varying expenses. A tournament in Batticaloa has been allocated Rs. 15,000 while a competition in Negombo has been allocated one lakh and sixty thousand rupees. Sports officials are discussing the changes in the amounts allocated to the sport at various districts. Could someone be manipulating these accounts, they wonder!
To be at the top
The AGM of a sports body which has brought quite a lot of credit to the island is around the corner and a lot of activity is going on because of this between two candidates who are contesting for the top post. It so happens that the daughter of a District Association is getting married shortly and one candidate has volunteered to pay for drinks at the function, mainly to get the votes from this faction. What some people will do to be at the top of an association.Villa’s plight!
What happened to poor Villa?
He handled the side well enough placing different regimes to individual players. Everyone knew that it was the right thing to do as Villa knew as the body gets older, different people have to be placed at different levels. But the anti ‘duo’ crowd did not like this. So they moved Villa into the pool and got Dharsha to do the dirty work. The new rule is everyone should get the same regime. If not the person could be pronounced unfit. Behind the curtains the witch hunt is going on without anyone really noticing it.
Over 60s in trouble
There is fear in a key sports body that individuals over 60 will not be given posts once the AGM of this body is over. This directive has come from the top and about ten individuals will get the chop because of the age factor. They say that the over 60 group is made up of mainly Pandang Karayos. (Those who hold candles to certain individuals). About five individuals are to get the axe after this new directive.