CH and FC: From glory days to sorrowful state of rugby
The Colombo Hockey and Football Club, a premier rugby football club in the island, once dominated the local club rugby scene in the 1980’s and 1990’s. They however made their presence felt in the recent past, by not performing up to the expectations of many avid rugby fans and its rugby is fast moving in to the abyss. What was witnessed is a pitiful state of rugby in the recent past at the Gymkhana Club. The Club authorities should consider the gravity of the state their rugby has fallen to, and an absolute overhaul is required to bring CH rugby back in to recognition.
CH maybe a losing team but their spirit on the field is impressive
CH & FC is one of the oldest rugby playing clubs in the Island. The Ceylon Hockey and Football Club was formed in 1892.Until 1965 all members and playing members of the club were required to be British, the club then allowed Sri Lankans to join. And it was not until 1971 that the first Sri Lankan captain of CH & FC, Bryan Baptist, was appointed.
The Club, as one of the original eight ‘constitutional’ clubs, first competed in the Clifford Cup in 1950 and have won the cup seven times in the years : 1957,1960,1962,1982,1983,1990 and 1994.And in 2003 and 2005, they were the losing finalist to Kandy SC. They were the league champions in 1982 and 1988. In 1990,1992 and 1993, CH again won the Premier League (then known as the John Player League) captained by Imran Sally, Asitha Boteju and Hisham Abdeen respectively. It was not until seven years later in 2000, that the team, captained by Nazim Mohammed won the competition, this time called the Caltex Rugby League Championship. This was the last time CH & FC were successful in winning the premiership. This is a club that has produced many outstanding ruggerites in the caliber of Y.C.Chang, Hafi Abdeen, Chandrishan Perera, Saman Jayasinghe, Bharatha Hegoda, Rohan Abeykoon, Nazim Mohammed, Jude Pillai, Dilanka Wijesekara etc.
When Kishin Butani, the famous businessman and rugby promoter was at the helm of affairs during the late eighties to early nineties, Sri Lankan rugby fans witnessed Fijians playing in local club rugby for the first time. Apisai Nagata and Jalaiso Rodro donned the Red and White CH & FC jersey. Nagata later went on to become a legend at CH & FC.
When analysing the performance of CH rugby in the past few years, it is not satisfactory at all. In the Dialog League of 2013/2014, they ended up at bottom of the table. Even below the newly created club that season, Hambantota Sharks. They only recorded one win out of 11 games. In the Dialog League of 2014/2015, there was no improvement as well. They only competed in the first round and owing to being forced to withdraw from the rest of the season due to the high expenditure incurred in paying for fields for their practices and matches. After the first round ended, CH was lying at the bottom of the table below the Hambantota Sharks. At the current Dialog League of 2015/2016, CH’s piteous state in rugby continues, lying at the bottom of the table after 11 games without a solitary win. The results are a rude awakening for CH officials. They need to put the game back on the right track. As mentioned, a complete rebuilding of the game is needed to put back CH rugby to where it belongs.
According to a senior CH club official, “funding is the key to rebuild the game but right now it is lacking. In the past few years many players have joined the club, but quite a number of them are unknown. But these players have performed spiritedly throughout the season against heavy odds. And also certain senior members of the club due to the penurious performance in the last three years, and loss of revenue, don’t want to put more weight on the game. This is a significant fact why rugby at CH cannot be uplifted.”
Manager of CH rugby, Anver Jayah commented,” For the past few years many schoolboys have joined the club. But they are from schools such as St. Johns Nugegoda and Royal Panadura. That is admirable. But at one time being a dominant force in local club rugby is having a slow death. In previous years we had a rugby steering committee. But this year there is none. There are no sponsors. The club officials are not going for the sponsors. And we are participating in the league for the sake of participating”.
Rugby at CH&FC is in the doldrums. A Clarion Call to CH rugby officials and former outstanding players to rebuild the game promptly. They have to act now or never, because the oval shaped ball game is dying a slow death at Maitland Crescent.