FRANKLIN was most inseparable from rugby

By Aubrey Kuruppu

It may be four decades ago, but the Trinity Rugger team of 1956 in still considered one of the best sides that pulled on the blue, gold and red Jersey. That team remained unbeaten, didn’t permit their line to be crossed and, not surprisingly, nine of the players represented Ceylon subsequently. The celebrated nine comprised David Frank (the skipper), Nimal Maralande, Ken de joodt, M.Odayer, Gamini Weerasinghe, Sena de Sylva, Raji de Sylva, Mika de Alwis and the subject of this piece – Franklin Jacob.

In addition to his prowess at Rugger, he was also a Hockey coloursman and the Sergeant of the Cadet Platoon. On leaving the portals of Trinity, Franklin gained employment as a Sub Inspector in the Police (1957 – 1961). He turned out for the Police, Havelock's, Uva, the Barbarians and for Ceylon in the All India tournament.

Franklin was noted for his fast breaks and awesome tackles

International matches were few and far between and playing for the country in the All India tournament – which consisted of South India, Bengal Tigers, Calcutta, Armenians, Bombay, Dooars and Ditchers – Was the Summit of a rugby players ambition, then, the Ceylon team at that time was a mixture of locals and Britishers and Franklin rubbed shoulders with legendary figures such as T.B. Pilapitiya, Tyrrel Muttiah, Lionel Almeida, Ken de joodt, Conrad Ephraims, Dharmasiri Madugalle, Kavan Rambukwella as well as foreigners Boyd Moss, R.S. Harrison and Nick Tait.

Franklin played against the Australian Colts in 1957 and two years later against the Oxford- Cambridge combined side. He was selected to captain up country against the Bosuns at Nittawela (1969) but as luck would have it, an injury sidelined him- that in his only disappointment in rugby. Playing for Ceylon in the prestigious all India tournament, he was captained by Ashey Cader, Nevile Leefe and Peter Sawdy.

One of Kandy's very knowledgeable rugby experts, Maurice Perera describes Franklin as a hard – tackling flanker who played sixty minutes of rugby. The Trinity lion of 1956 was noted for his fast breaks and awesome tackles.

Franklin was a committee member of the CRFU and the SLRFU, and a national selector for five to six years (with breaks). As a selector, he is proud of the performance of Indrajit Cromaraswamy's 1974 team which lost the final of the Asiad, on home soil, to Japan (6-44). The team was coached by the late Bertie Dias. In addition to the finalists, Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malay sia took part in the Asiad.

Franklin is not one to brook interference in his official duties and he resigned from the selection committee because of ministerial interference. He returned to the Selection committee in 1990 (fifteen years later) but says that there was even more interference in his second stint.

The Police teams success in the 1980 was taken for granted. However the seeds were sown by Franklin’s Police team of 1961 – the first Police team to play in the Clifford Cup. That team included Linton, Thirumani, Mke Shockman, Rodney Aluvihare and the well-known Rahula Silva.

(L) Wilhelm Balthazar, David Frank, Franklin Jacob (the famed back row of 1956). Raji de Sylva and Gamini Weerasinghe – Trinity Lions all of them.

Franklin reminisces that schoolboys of his era were not molly- coddled. The Trinitians walked to Bogambara for their matches and traveled by train to Colombo. They were invariably met by the Royalists at the Fort Station. He says that there was a friendlier atmosphere then and lots of fellowship after the match.

Bradby opponents such as Lionel Almeida, Tyrrel Muttiah, the late C.V (Puggy) Gunaratne and Maurice Angie became life-long friends. The game of Rugby, as a whole, has changed a lot from his time to the present. There was more open Rugby then. The side step and the dummy, which were very common in his time, are rarely seen now. There in no jumping in the lines out as the players are propped up.

Franklin was secretary of Trinity College from 1991 to 2002. He also coached the Under-15 side for three years and the Under-17 for two years. He recalls that the young Pradeep Basnayake and Haris Omar were two of his pupils. Rugby and Franklin are almost inseparable. Having time on his hand, and also being a gentleman of some fortune, Franklin watched the 2003 World Cup in Australia, and also took in a couple of Dubai Sevens tournaments.