A pillar of Schools Rugby is no more
Nihal Mudannayake or, ‘Mudan’ as he was popularly known, will be missed by the local Rugby fraternity, more so in Schools Rugby. His voice calling for teams to take the field at Schools tournaments will never be heard again. May his soul Rest in Peace.
An old boy of Carey College, Colombo, he was interested and participated in Cricket and Football. He started teaching at St. Peter’s, where he taught Mathematics and also oversaw Scouting at the College, before moving to Wesley College. The Maths master took a liking to Rugby and spent time as its Master-in-Charge (MIC). This was in an era when Maths masters could have spent their time giving tuition, which was more lucrative than being an MIC of Rugby.
Nihal Mudannayake
But he chose to serve the game for the sheer love of the game, though he had never played it. He managed and conducted tournaments for schoolchildren at almost all stages of the game. This included those enjoying the fundamentals through levels of learning to play, train, compete and win at the higher level of Schools Rugby. It was solely his efforts, when he was involved in Rugby Development in the Western Province, that saw schools such as Pilyandala Central and CWW Kannangara MMV taking to Rugby.
He was among the pioneers who laid the foundation around 1990 for Schools Rugby tournaments, and has been serving Schools Rugby till the ‘long whistle’ went for him. His association with Rugby started from Wesley College, where he was the MIC for 22 long years. Later, he became the founder Treasurer of the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) inaugurated in 1993, before being elected as its Secretary, and later its Tournament Secretary.
It was during his tenure as Secretary, the first Women’s Rugby match was played in Embilipitiya. He served the sport as a MIC, Treasurer and Secretary of SLSRFA and was in-charge of the Tournament desk. He mastered the art of running tournaments and putting in place the guidelines or, more specifically, the tournament rules.
He was a livewire in the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) when it came to conducting tournaments. His contribution to the WPRFU was immense and well appreciated by those who took office in different eras from then to now. Especially, when he did so, the WPRFU had neither an office nor an administrative set up.
In recent times, after his retirement, Mudan continued to serve as the Tournament Secretary, when he moved to S. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia, and then took on the job of Coordinator of the SLSRFA. Though Mudan had a gruff voice, he would never be provoked to be rude, when many were rude to him during and after tournaments. Particularly when matches were lost or questions rose about the points table. Mudan served the game gracefully and peacefully, as it was the game that was important to him.
He neglected his health, having high sugar levels, which left a scar that was difficult to heal. Yet, he was enjoying running tournaments and lived happily, in the way he knew best. He even spoke about the schools tournament and its format, just a few days before a sudden heart seizure took him away.
He could easily adorn the altar as a high priest of Rugby, as his contribution was immense. Mudan, with the help of others in the schools section, started Junior, Mini and Midi Rugby through tournaments and carnivals among schools. His contribution to the Super 16 for Mini Rugby has been a factor that helped to stage this event.
Though he received no awards or recognitions for contributions to Rugby, on and off the playing fields in Sri Lanka, he surely will be recognised in the hands of his creator, who he will be blessed to meet. Rugby, particularly schools tournaments, will never be the same without Mudan.