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YOSHITHA’S SWANSONG

31 Mar 2022

  • ‘I may take to administration in local rugby’ 
By Revatha S. Silva   Yoshitha Kanishka Rajapaksa, 33, will end his over 15-year rugby career tomorrow, Saturday, 2 April when his team Navy Sports Club meets CR&FC at Longdon Place, Colombo in a Plate encounter of the ongoing Nippon Rugby League, organised by Sri Lanka Rugby. “I have been playing the game since 2004. I felt it is time I should step down. Now our youngsters need to come in and carry the game forward,” said Rajapaksa in an exclusive interview with The Morning Sports yesterday (31 March). What’s next after his playing career is over?  Serving the underprivileged “I would like to be involved in the game’s administration and do my bit for further upliftment of the game of rugby,” Rajapaksa said, airing his views from Temple Trees, where he currently works as Chief of Staff of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. “But those plans will depend on my other work. Yet, as an ex player, I will be obliged to serve the more underprivileged rugby players of the country. If joining the administration is the right forum for that, I may do so,” he stressed. Duty-bound to help Yoshitha Rajapaksa first took to rugby following his elder brother Namal’s footsteps at S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia Under-13 team but he began playing rugby more seriously since joining S. Thomas’ Under-17. “There are some good rugby players who are compelled to do various odd jobs for a living during and after their careers. That is because the game has to improve in the country further so that the players can take it up as a profession,” explained Rajapaksa.  “I know some players have to go fishing for an income whilst they are still playing their rugby. I feel I’m obliged to involve myself in whatever capacity in improving and changing that situation.” Navy and Sri Lanka careers Yoshitha Rajapaksa captained S. Thomas’ first-XV team in 2006. After joining Sri Lanka Navy the same year as a cadet officer, he played a part in developing rugby at Navy whilst captaining the team in 2009. “In 2009, we at the Navy could end a 60-odd match-winning streak of the strong Kandy team,” he recalled. Yoshitha then played for Sri Lanka national team during 2009-11 captaining the country in 2011-12. Under his leadership, Sri Lanka became runners-up in the 2012 Asian Five Nations Division-I tournament in the Philippines. International achievements “I always played the game with great love and passion. I didn’t make a living from it,” he added.  Sri Lanka, under his leadership, won the 2013 Asian Five Nations Division I competition, qualifying them to compete in the 2014 HSBC Asian Five Nations tournament in Japan.  Playing as a flanker, he was also a member of the national rugby Sevens team, leading them to the Bowl title at the 2011 Borneo Sevens as well as rare participation at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. Political patronage? Did his political clout help his ascendancy in national rugby at any stage of career? “Being part of a political family, such accusations are something very normal for me,” opined Rajapaksa. “But here, the biggest proof is my contemporary players and coaches. They will testify whether I played for my country purely on merit or due to any political backing,” responded Rajapaksa. Helping hand As the last hurrah of his long career approaches, Yoshitha acknowledged his coaches and mentors, ranging from his Under-13 school coaches up to his national trainers. “Asanga Seneviratne who turned me a flanker from a hooker, Leonard, Ronnie and Nilufer Ibrahim, Sanath Martis, and my four trainers Ranjana, Tharanga, and Mothilal Jayathilake – they all and a numerous other people have helped me on my way in this journey.”


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