Sri Lanka rugby community mourn passing of a coaching legend
The Sri Lankan rugby community paid heartfelt tributes to legendary rugby coach New Zealander George Simpkin, who passed away on Thursday at age of 77 after a battle with cancer.
George Simpkin marshalling the Carlton Super 7s Series in Galle
He was the mentor of rugby development in Asia transforming China into a rugby powerhouse.
The former Fiji, Hong Kong and Germany coach, became an integral part of Sri Lanka rugby since his association began in 1999 when he came to Kandy.
Past President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) and present Kandy Sports Club rugby patron Malik Samarawickrema said: “George Simpkin was one of the best coaches we had. His coaching techniques and game planning and strategy were revolutionary at that time. As a result, Sri Lankan rugby reached new heights and our players too gained valuable knowledge and improved their skills. He played a major role in organising the Singer-Sri Lanka Sevens Tournament which was initiated in 1999 and getting down some top teams from Asia, Europe and Africa.”
Simpkin came to Sri Lanka when Priyantha Ekanayake was captain and guided the fortunes of the national team leading them to a historic win against Kazakshstan.
“He came to Sri Lanka to help with the Kandy SC team in 1999 and took over as the National coach of Sri Lanka. That was one of the most successful eras of Sri Lanka rugby. He had an exceptional eye for picking talent and he was one of the better coaches of world rugby. When I spoke to one of the great All Blacks, Bruce Robertson, he said George was ahead of his time with his ability to think big,” said Ekanayake.
“George was one of the North Island selectors with Colin Meads and Alex Wylie. Those days they didn’t have All Blacks trials. It was North Island vs South Island battle for the selection of the All Blacks. Out of the three selectors, both Colin Meads and Alex Wylie became All Blacks coaches and George was earmarked to coach the New Zealand side. However, in 1987 he went to coach the Fiji National team for the World Cup where they came to the quarter-finals, and lost to finalists France by a narrow margin,” related Ekanayake.
“He was the best coach I have associated with and it was a great privilege to have known him and more importantly to be coached by this great man. I was lucky enough to visit him when he was sick and managed to spend some quality time with him before the lockdown. My thoughts are with his wife who was by the side of him during his sickness. His legacy will carry on,” said the Sri Lanka rugby great fondly recalling his association with Simpkin.
“I am absolutely sad to learn the demise of George. He was a fantastic coach, a tireless worker in all aspects for rugby and a great bloke. I had many a good laugh with him and will miss him very much. I am sure everyone who has been associated with George feels the same. My deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies go out to Pip (Philipa) his wife and friend’s relations,” said Rizly Illyas, the deputy president of Sri Lanka Rugby.
Former Sri Lanka national coach Ajith Abeyratne related an amazing experience he had with Simpkin.
“When I was national coach in 1987, I went to Christchurch to do my rugby certificate. The Fijians had come to play All Blacks on Saturday. When I saw this team (Fiji) walking onto the ground, I saw this white fellow. He said ‘hi’ and asked ‘from where are you’. When I said I’m from Sri Lanka he asked ‘do you mean they play rugby in Sri Lanka’. It was like a joke may be but he ended up here and integrated into the system. He was quite a character,” said Abeyratne.
Former SLRFU president Asanga Seneviratne said he contributed immensely to Sri Lanka rugby.
“He spent about a decade in Sri Lanka coaching and helping us organising these international tournaments. He had a phenomenal eye for talent. He identified lot of top players like Fazil Marija whom he spotted very early,” he said.
Hong Kong was where he introduced rugby to thousands of Chinese people over 16 years in his role as a director for Hong Kong Rugby Union. During this time, George manufactured the world’s first kicking-tee, which replaced the need for players to dig mounds or use sand to place the ball before taking a shot at goal.
Among other changes he introduced included the quick lineout throw-in, drop kicks for try conversions, eight ball boys/girls retrieving the ball, the try-scoring team kicking off at the restart and hookers binding under the props at scrum time.
During the final years of his life, he coached his home town team United Matamata Sports Club, where he had played during his 20s, taking them from second division to the first division for the first time in their history.
“George was a top man, did yeoman service for Sri Lanka rugby, Asia rugby and world rugby in the shorter version of the game. He was technically and tactically astute. Indeed we belong to God and indeed to him we will return. May his soul rest in peace,” prayed Inthi Marikar, a former Kandy SC and Sri Lanka star.