Isipathana Class of ’74 honours ‘Forefathers’ of Isipathana rugby
Isipathana players from 1963 to 1971 who were felicitated during the big match at SSC grounds were Ana Saranapala, Wijaya Yapa, Nihal Jayathilake, Upali Wettehewa, Majid Awn, Nalin de Silva, Sriyantha Rajakaruna, Athula Wickremasinghe, Sujith Jayasekara, Mahinda Jayawardena, Ananda Kaviratne, Vijitha Wickremasinghe, Upali Vithanage, Nanda Padmasiri, Sarath Wijesuriya, Sirisoma and Lucky Wickramasinghe.
Isipathana is perhaps the only school which is synonymous with rugby producing greats like the legendary Hisham Abdeen, Roger Rodrigo, H.K. Sisira, Dilroy Fernando, Sajith Mallikarachchi among others, who distinguished for Sri Lanka at international level in the modern era. The famed ‘green shirts’ who have been acknowledged as the ‘kings of school rugby’ were unique for playing a fearless brand of rugby with renowned commentator Bob Harvey paying the richest compliment when he reportedly told on air once that ‘Isipathana were running like the All Blacks’. Their feats on the field of rugby have been well chronicled to need mention. Suffice to say they were first team to become triple champions in school rugby, churning out talented players who have adorned the national jersey with distinction. Above all they take pride in playing for Isipathana guaranteeing them a pathway to stardom.
However, there was a time when Isipathana formerly known as Greenlands College, were shunned by elite schools such as Trinity College, Kandy who refused to grant them a regular fixture after locking horns in 1966. In a poetic justice, Isipathana knocked them out when they clashed in the centenary year of school rugby in 1978 in a tournament for the William Mollegoda Trophy. They were no green horns with the oval ball but considered the ‘yakkos’ of school rugby when they entered the field in the golden 60s producing household names in club rugby such as Ana Saranapala, the Savanghan brothers, Hafi Abdeen, Randy Pietersz, Doray, Thalayasingam, to name a few.
They are the players who laid the foundation and shed their blood, sweat and tears for what Isipathana rugby is today – to become the pride and respect of a nation not just performing wonders with the oval ball but continuing the enduring legacy of creating racial harmony. Interestingly, the names for their Houses are derived from four poets – Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula Thera, Rabindranath Tagore, John Milton and Muhammad Iqbal.
In a show of gratitude to those who laid the seeds of rugby, a group of old boys from Isipathana gathered during their ‘big match’ against Thurstan in the Khone Gaha tent which has literally provided them shelter in the school for many years, to felicitate their forefathers of the game.
“There can be so many superlatives to address you. After giving thorough consideration, we decided ‘Forefathers’ would be the most appropriate. Your mere presence gives fantastic vibes. Yes, very similar to the ones you gave us when you played that super brand of rugby. We used to jump fences to take the shortest cut to Havelock Park… not to miss a minute of rugby. You were the foot soldiers who climbed the mountains for us,” stated Senaka Karunaratne, a member of the ‘Isipathana Class of 74’ who organized this unique felicitation ceremony for the ‘Forefathers of Isipathana Rugby’ between the years 1963 to 1971.
“It may not be the greatest show on earth but, we intentionally chose the venue to honour these gentlemen in front of a large gathering. There were over 240 young and old Isipathanians to say thank you to the forefathers of Isipathana rugby,” said Karunaratne who is domiciled in Australia. Dr Jagath Alwis, Muaazi Thahir, Kithsiri Bandara, Sanath Nanayakkara and Shahul Cader along with Hassan Sinhawansa were others behind this event which went to great lengths to gather about 25 forefathers, three of whom came from overseas.
“There is another thing that these gentlemen have given us through rugby. Nobody had to teach us racial harmony. Our heroes were Ana Saranapala, Randy Pietersz, Wijaya Yapa, Savanghan brothers, Moulana, Gunalan, Hafi Abdeen, Doray, Thalayasingham, late Rajap, Devakumar, and my dear friend late Hasari Hameed to name a few. They were not belonging to one ethnic group. We respected all of them. They earned our respect through their skills. This was pointed out by an outsider. Apparently, it was very noticeable that time all these ethnic groups representing one school. Gentleman, you are here in front of us this gathering because you hold the reason for most of Isipathana’s achievements. We all travelled in your shoulders and it will not change in a hurry. That’s the foundation Isipathana received through your blood, sweat and tears. That unique brand of open rugby you played is still visible when today’s young ones don the green jersey. That’s the very reason rugby admirers turn up in numbers whenever Isipathanaake the field,” stated Squadron Leader (Rtd) Senaka Karunaratne, a former CH&FC and Air Force fly half in a virtual citation to the forefathers of Isipathana rugby.
“I really love the game. I used to play with plastic rugger balls when I was small and even before going to school. These 63 to 71 ruggerites of Isipathana, they have done something personally to me. I think the same way to lot of other people as well. They gave us the impression that this is the game that is played in Heaven,” recalled Karunaratne emotionally in an interview with the Sunday Times.
“I chose the word ‘forefathers’ to describe them and not using the common generic words such as legends, great players. You can be great today but no you can’t be a forefather yesterday. Abdeen is a legend of Isipathana but he cannot be a forefather. This word really suits them. Thank you for your pioneering efforts of laying the foundation of rugby at Isipathana. No one can be this big,” said Karunaratne who represented Isipathana from 1974 to 1978 interrupted by a stint at Pembroke Academy.
“These are the people who put the name of Isipathana in the Sri Lanka map. Nobody will ask ‘did you play cricket’ when you say you went to Isipathana. Every excitement is on rugby. Even if there was an Olympian from Isipathana, I wouldn’t call them to honour with this group. They are unique,” he said underscoring the importance of recognizing people when they are alive.
“My mother died a few years. I have never given her a dana. I had done enough to her when she was living. Sadly Thalayasingham died on the Monday after the show. We took him a T-shirt to present him on Friday but it was tight and we promised to return on Monday. He wrote me two emails and I spoke to him thrice. He was so delighted that we called him,” said Karunaratne.