A possible dream not too high
Rohitha Rajapaksa
Despite uncertainty over the horizon, CH&FC, one of the pioneer rugby-playing clubs in Colombo and Sri Lanka are gearing up for a possible start of the inter-club season.
The Maitland Crescent club, who pioneered featuring foreign players in domestic rugby tournaments during the late 1980s and for many years to follow, has an abundance of talented youngsters but are yet to regain its former status of glory. Under the wings of its present head coach Rohitha Rajapaksa, CH&FC is keen to break these shackles and forge ahead.
Rohitha, the youngest of the three Rajapaksa siblings who turned out for Navy SC, then Havelocks before his current home at Maitland Crescent, has moved ahead of his older brothers Namal, the incumbent Sports Minister, and Yoshitha. Armed with a wealth of knowledge gained through playing and training programmes, local and international, Rohitha is the youngest rugby educator sanctioned by World Rugby in the country.
But his widespread overview of the sport is way beyond just taking CH&FC miles ahead from where they are. As coach of Thurstan College, a Division I Segment 2 school team, and as a former head coach of Science College, who made great waves in the school rugby arena, Rohitha is also looking at ways to improve the game altogether from the grassroots level itself.
“It’s factual that I come from a strong political family, but at CH and Thurstan, I present myself as their coach, big brother or colleague, which in turn makes everyone around me and myself importantly, comfortable. This is just the basics in leading a side. I do not believe in bossing around,” stated Rajapaksa, regarded as a team player by many.
With facilities intended to be upgraded to suit its traditions in rugby with CH and in cricket with CCC (Colombo Cricket Club), apart from hockey, the Maitland Crescent club, also known as the only Gymkhana Club in Sri Lanka, are expanding its viewing galleries to attract more spectators. This move, welcomed with open arms by Rajapaksa, would probably become a haven in time to come for lesser-known clubs and schools that find it difficult to pay the staggering amounts demanded by popular venues in and around Colombo.
“If you look presently at the most suitable venues, the Racecourse in Torrington, come to the mind as the ideal venue for rugby and football. But nowadays most clubs and schools find it very difficult to meet its fee, which is way beyond imaginable. Most clubs and schools with less facilities should be given the opportunity to play in good venues, which is one of the important and basic facts if a sport needs to be developed,” he explained.
Despite his older brother being the Minister of Sports and his father being the Prime Minister of the country and the minister in-charge of Finances and Urban Development, the youngest Rajapaksa explained that protocols do play an important role, despite their personal connection.
“Even if I could request my father to reassess the amount being charged for sports venues under his purview or plead with my older brother Namal, being the sports minister, to treat rugby with priority and commence the tournaments, simply because I’m a rugby coach, it never works that way. There are procedures to follow and important discussions to be held before making vital decisions. I personally feel that the officials who are in-charge of these subjects should have some experience in sports, so they will know how hard it is for those who are in the bottom to reach the next level. They should have an idea on how it all works at ground level and be reasonable to all. After all grounds and facilities are made to utilise, not preserve and become a place only for the able,” the former S. Thomas’ and Sri Lanka number eight asserted.
While grieving on a potential opportunity Thurstan College missed to reach the Division I top segment, due to the stoppage of sports activities following the COVID-19 outbreak, Rohitha pointed out that it takes great effort to construct a winning outfit. And he doesn’t wish to see the same happen to CH over and over again.
CH, for nearly five seasons, have had the best rugby talents from the country, but have failed to ‘click’ as a unit at vital games, apart from claiming an overall third position in the Dialog Rugby League and an overall championship in the Inter-Club Rugby 7s in 2018.
CH&FC has a long term vision - Pix by Amila Gamage
He calls ‘trust’ as an important factor for a team or unit to move forward, and that same blessing of having individually brilliant players, according to Rajapaksa, “turned out to be a curse” for CH in recent years.
“I have told the players to trust in each other and keep the team’s win as the most important goal. If you have (Christiano) Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi in one team, I’m sure that team will be the ultimate loser because both these star footballers are top goal-scorers and there will be a competition between them within the team. But if you have that trust, it wouldn’t be an issue. That was the same setback CH had in the recent years, and as the head coach it’s my priority to clear off that grey area and make them a team to beat,” the ambitious head coach stated.
With high goals set for a season that would be fruitful and unforgettable for CH, Rajapaksa has great faith in his team which includes assistant coach Rajiv Perera, Sri Lanka’s first-ever female rugby manager at the highest level – Udani Edirisinghe, skipper Sudarshana Muthuthanthri, the set of young and talented players and the CH&FC administration, with Tanesh Dias overseeing its rugby affairs.
“I greatly appreciate CH for letting me join them in 2015 and having me as a player and in the support staff all this long. It will be unappreciative if we move away now, when there’s great potential to win the league title, and more importantly creating that club loyalty again at CH. Above all I would personally like to see CH&FC become a sanctuary for less privileged rugby teams, be it schools or clubs. In time to come CH, not only will it prosper as a club side, but also a hub where rugby is developed in many aspects,” said Rajapaksa, eager to see the sport reach more miles in all parts of the country.