Former Isipathana College Captain, Sri Lanka Under-20, 15 a side captain, Sri Lanka Under-20, seven a side Vice captain and Sri Lanka national XV a side Captain Omalka Gunaratne has decided to don the jersey of CH and FC during the upcoming new inter club rugby season.
Omalka was one of the prized products to come out of Isipathana College - whose team he also captained while playing as number eight in 2015, the year they were the inter-school triple runners-up (Sevens, League and the knock out) under the head coaching of former Kingswoodian Nilfer Ibrahim.
He also had the honour of vice captaining the Sri Lanka Under-20 Sevens team at the Asian Championships and guided them to the Cup championship title for the first time in the Sri Lankan rugby history in 2016.
Omalka was the captain of the traditional 15-a-side game which became runners-up to Hong Kong at the Asian Under-20 tournament in 2015, where the national team was coached by veteran rugby coach Sanath Martis. After leaving school he joined Navy SC and later crossed over to CR and FC to enhance his career in club rugby and led the CR team in last year’s Inter-Club rugby season.
Last year Omalka had the distinction of leading the Sri Lanka national XV a side team in the rugby Asiad in Chinese Taipei. He was just 23 years old and probably the youngest to lead a national team at that time. Speaking exclusively to the Daily News, Omalka said “Since I wanted to play professional rugby I have decided to sign up for CH and FC in the upcoming rugby season. I also wanted to thank my previous club CR & FC, where I had the opportunity of representing them for four consecutive years, while captaining them last year at the age of 23. I am eternally grateful to them. Now I will put all my effort and rally around with my CH and FC team to give off my very best for CH to achieve success.”
