After Sri Lanka emerged champions at the Five Nations Division One XV-a-side tournament in Singapore this year, hopes have soared of the team doing well at the Premier Asian Top Five Nations contest in 2011.

Sri Lanka, however, face an uphill task as they will be up against Asian giants Japan, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Rohan Gunaratne, a former Sri Lankan rugby skipper and the present Executive Director of the SLRFU is of the opinion that the island nation can do well against Hong Kong, Kazakhstan and the UAE.

Rohan Gunaratne

“We will play UAE and Hong Kong on April 23 and Hong Kong on May 27. Both matches will be in Sri Lanka giving us the territorial advantage,” opines Gunaratne. He has studied Lanka’s opponents well. He sees stiff hurdles in Japan, Hong Kong and Kazakhstan. He added, “We have beaten Kazakhstan on our soil earlier and I see no reason why we can’t beat them again. We are nippier, faster and spot the gaps in a jiffy,” was his assessment.

Speaking on Sri Lanka’s performance in Singapore this year Gunaratne, who was the Manager of the team, said that the team played extremely well under the captaincy of Pradeep Liyanage of Kandy SC. To a question whether CR’s Dushanthe Lewke should have captained the side, Gunaratne said that the question never arose as all concerned gave skipper Liyanage the necessary encouragement.

Dushantha was named to captain the team when his father Nimal Lewke was the SLRFU President but certain sections of the SLRFU opposed the move. Dushantha did not captain the national team after 2008 when he led the team to Taiwan. Nevertheless Dushantha was picked for the Singapore tour. According to news reaching us from all quarters he played a gallant game in Singapore. Dushantha also captained the CR&FC team this year.

In 2009 Pavithra Fernando of the CR was named Sri Lanka skipper and all Kandy SC players boycotted the national team. Sri Lanka’s team to Singapore this year was coached by Johann Taylor. Taylor was Kandy SC’s coach as well in 2010 and Kandy went on to win all major tournaments this year.
Gunaratne explained that under Nalin de Silva, the former Isipathana, Air Force and Sri Lankan flanker the team will get into action early next year. “We have ample time to groom a fine team,” he said.

To a question whether the IRB will allocate funds to Sri Lanka, Gunaratne said that the SLRFU is now an elected body as the interim body has been done away with and there is no reason why IRB funds should not be allocated to the SLRFU. “I think the funds are on the way,” said Gunaratne.

According to Gunaratne Sri Lanka is now 43rd in IRB rankings and sixth in the Asian Region. There are 26 rugby playing countries in Asia.Rohan Gunaratne is the only player from St. Benedict’s Kotahena to captain the Sri Lanka rugby team. He was an outstanding basketball player at school and this paved the way for him to be a good lineout specialist. Some players who played rugby with him at St. Benedict’s are Saroj Abeyratne, Harendra Gunatilleke (CR) and Lalith Edirisinghe (Police).

One of St. Benedict’s bright sparks in schools rugby was when the side led by Noel Perera beat S. Thomas’ Mount Lavinia in the 60’s. Later Noel Perera turned out for the CR&FC. After captaining St. Benedict’s at basketball and rugby Gunaratne joined the Sri Lanka Air Force in 1972 and was put through the phases by former Air Force Commander Harry Gunatilleke, the father of the present Air Force Commander Air Marshall Roshan Gunatilleke, the present President of the SLRFU. During the 1974-75 season he turned out for the CH&FC.

During 1976 to 1986 he donned the Police rugby jersey and ended up captaining the blue shirts in 1983. He was a member of the Sri Lanka Sevens teams to Hong Kong from 1985 to 1987. His pet position for the national team was as a second row forward and a bustling No 8.

1992 saw him as coach and manager of the national team and he also managed the Sri Lanka Junior team to Hong Kong when Niroshan Fernando of Isipathana led the side. Speaking on other rugby matters Gunaratne said that the performances of Havelocks and CH&FC left a lot to be desired this season. “If these teams play well, spectators will be drawn to their games and sponsors will follow naturally.”

As a parting shot he said he sees no reason why rugby in Sri Lanka should not prosper. “President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s three sons are rugby players and Tharunayata Hetak led by Namal Rajapaksa conducted the Carlton Sevens successfully. I feel rugby is on the right track.”