Kingswood in the process of team building

S M Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy sports correspondent

The rugby pool:

Props: Chamila Abeygunaratne (Captain), Kasun Herath, Nisal Dinuka Perera, Janith Amerasinghe.
Hookers: Ravin Paranagama.
Locks: Ravindu Dilshan, Asela Weerasekera.
Flankers: Rumesh Prematillake, Tharindu Chaturanga, Chinthaka Kumara, Dishantha Lakshan Jayashanka.
No 8: Uwin Ariyaratne.
Scrum halfs: Kosala Nuwan Perera, Sajith Piumal, Buwaneka Bandara.
Fly half: Duminda Bandara.
Wingers: Chathura Shanaka Piyasena (Vice Captain), Pradeep Kumara, Oshan Dushmantha Atigodage.
Centres: Iranga Ariyapala, Udagala Hettiarachchi, Sanjay Jayatillake.
Full backs: Reza Raffaideen, Faris Ali.

Kingswood College which is the first school in Sri Lanka to play rugby is in the process of team building as the nucleus from last year's side will not do service for them. Thus their coach Priyantha Gunaratne will have a tough job on his hands. This situation stems from the fact that last season they were largely dependent on a few players who performed very well but their absence this season has created a big void in the team.

Kingswood College will be led this year by fourth year player Chamila Abeygunaratne who will bind down in the front as the attacking prop. Last year he had a good season leading the pack.

The deputy skipper of the side is winger and third year player Chathura Shanaka Piyasena who along with Oshan Perera and Lavanga Perera contributed for the teams success with a glut of tries.

The other experienced players in the side are Uwin Ariyaratne playing in his third year, a hard running winger, fly half Duminda Bandara also playing in his third year, the experienced Iranga Ariyapala, flanker Rumesh Prematillake, scrum half Kosala Nuwan Perera, lock forward Ravindu Dilshan and prop Kasun Herath.

Coach Priyantha Gunaratne said that the turn out at practices is good but it will take some time to blend the team into a winning combination and this is no easy task as they will be playing with top schools.

Kingswoodians in their opening match defeated St Anthony's College 30-15 and went down rather tamely to St Peter's College and this was due to the fact that a few days earlier they played Kandy Sports Club in a friendly match and four of their top players got injured and others were a little incapacitated and this contributed to their under performance. The ruggerites are still recovering and skipper Chamila Abeygunaratne is still in the injured list.

Kingswood College has a rich rugby tradition whith is 129 years old. But they have not been playing the game continuously as there has been a huge gap till the game was revived after over fifty years in the seventies.

The game of rugby has the huge support of its Principal Ranjith Chandrasekera who is also the incumbent President of the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association. The amiable Reuban Wijewardena is the master-in-charge. The physical training is handled by the experienced Anuja Mallawarachchi of the University of Peradeniya. Coach Priyantha Gunaratne who has come over from St Anthony's College is confident that as the season progresses the team also should perform well.