Champions Royal thrived on adversity
Given that, at the start of the season, there were 5 to 6 teams with the potential to win the League title, Royal’s achievement is indeed a creditable one. Winners in 2015, under Bhanuka Gamage, Royal suffered a setback last year, when Kushan Indunil’s Isipathana team proved to be too hot to handle for most teams.
Everything within the Royal Camp wasn’t hunky-dory at the start of the season. They didn’t have a proper team. Most of the forwards were missing. Six of the previous year’s pack had left, and the replacements were not up to the mark.
Faced with this dilemma, the coaches hit upon the idea of getting a couple of Back division players in Lennox Calyanaratne and Nikhil George to step into the Forwards’ berths. The fact that, these 2 were talented and versatile, settled matters. Ashen Fernando and Rishmal Fernando were 2 others who were forced into new moulds. Further, the starting Props had never played as Props before. All these experiments paid off, as the players adapted well. Forwards coach Dushanth Lewke took on the job in 2008, when Johann Taylor was the Head Coach. The start was inauspicious, as Royal were beaten 12-34 by Science College. Lewke points out that, starting from 2013, Royal has scored 67 tries off the Rolling Maul. Isipathana, who else, were able to stop the maul on a couple of occasions.
The Royal authorities take great pains to state that, the Three-quarters have done more than their share this season. They have threatened defenses, and that has made it easier for the Forwards.
“Having Sanath Martis as the coach was a big boost. A very experienced and knowledgeable coach, his preparation and reading of the game were very good,” says Lewke.
Third-year player and skipper Ovin Askey has done it all. A Centre, turned Full-back, he made the No.10 spot his own this season. He says, he hoped they could pull off the League title prior to the start of the campaign. He admits, the loss to Isipathana set them back. Askey says they took stock of the situation and corrected their mistakes.
Ovin Askey
The mistakes were there again in the Dharmaraja match. “The Dharmaraja performance surprised us,” says Askey. We committed many mistakes in the first half and were behind at the halfway stage. It was a rainy day too. Askey modestly does not mention his last minute Drop-goal which gave his team an 18-15 win.
“The toughest game of all,” says the skipper, “was the one against St. Joseph’s. The Joes had loads of backing from influential sources going into that game. They were all out to topple us, but we held on to win 28-22.”
Askey points out they had the same Backs as in 2016 but, the players had more experience by 2017. The skipper is satisfied with the Backs. He adds the proviso that he is hoping for better things from them in the 2nd Leg. He is quick to point out that, with 3 kickers in their team, they have a decided advantage.
Askey says he believed they would win. At the same time, he admits they went through hell in those last 10 minutes. “I kept saying to the team, “defend, defend”. The Dange menace was contained because the Royal defence was good.
The winning team in 2015 had as many as 10 senior coloursmen. Even though his team had 8, some of them had only played about 2 years of top rugby.
Askey is not a starry-eyed schoolboy Rugby player having visions of playing for the National Team against countries such as Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan et al. His feet are firmly planted on the ground. His priority, after the 2nd Leg will be “to concentrate on higher studies”. He will be sitting his Advance Levels this August.
The Royal coaching staff had the right credentials. Head Coach Martis played for the National side. Lewke spent two seasons with the CH and FC, 3 with Kandy and 6 with CR and FC. He also captained the Sri Lanka team in 2008.
The National 7s Coach, Fijian Fereti, worked with the Back division.
Chairman of the Rugby Advisory Committee Rohantha Pieris played for his Alma Mater from 1975 to 1978, leading the team in his last year. To say he represented the National side with distinction, is almost an understatement.
Rohantha says, winning the Schools League was going to be a tall task. Yet, he was confident that the Martis-Lewke combination would come up with a champion side. The loss to Isipathana, according to him, was a blessing in disguise. We kept on talking to them, week after week, and the team kept improving.
The Back division, says the chairman, has come a long way. This may have led to a changing of the game plan.
A champion outfit will have good back-room boys. In this respect, Trainers Sunimal Manamperi and Akila Perera, as well as Physio Chanaka did a fine job. The medical staff, Doctor Thusitha, Kithsiri and Harindu Wijesinghe (the last named captained Royal in 1992 when the scores were tied) deserve our thanks says Lewke.
KIA Motors who sponsored the Royal team, certainly got their money’s worth.