After playing for CR & FC for four consecutive years and then moving over to Kandy Sports Club is something special that has inherited in Tharinda Ratwatte with rugby in his blood and the way he plays the game speaks for itself.
Currently, Ratwatte is the highest points scorer in the League rugby tournament with 78 points from three tries, 24 conversions and five penalties.
Having seen him play the game it is very obvious that he has the intelligence and knows what to do at the correct time. He is so thorough in the basics that he can make the correct move in accordance with the situation.
“I played for CR for four years and I just wanted to change clubs and this is why I joined Kandy SC. I grew up in Kandy being a student at Trinity and that’s where I wanted to be,” said Ratwatte.
“I am not interested in individual goals and my target it to perform well for the side and to win the League title. Being the highest scorer is a blessing for the side, but my aim is to perform well in every outing,” said Tharinda in an interview with the Sunday Observer.
Having attended Trinity College, it is obvious that Ratwatte has taken to the game like ducks to the water. Like any rugby player from Trinity, he has inherited the knowledge of the game from a very young age and like most past Trinitians, Ratwatte is a fully fledged rugby player.
Ratwatte loves to play as a fly-half which is his primary position that makes him the play maker in their three-quarter moves. He can also fit in to play as a centre or full back which are his secondary positions.
In whatever position he plays Ratwatte has made several moves that have helped his side pierce the defence of the opposition and that has helped Kandy SC score many tries thereby putting them in a winning position early in the game.
When asked whether he is under any pressure when taking the field he said not at all.
“I always had pre-game jitters but it would fade away as the game goes on,” quipped Ratwatte.
“Every team has their own strengths and it depends on how we handle them eventually that matters.”
It is a great honour to be in the best team in the league this season. Playing as a centre, Ratwatte has the knack for creating moves that has seen his side pile on the points. As an individual player he has sliced through the tiniest openings to send his team mates to score and has never been a selfish player, always contributing towards the success of the team.
Last year Kandy SC created some controversy by pulling out of the Knock-Out Clifford Cup but Ratwatte is looking forward to the season-ending finale that could give his team the Double as they are on course to successfully defend the League title with just two weeks left.
“Most probably Kandy SC will participate in the knock-out tournament this year and we intend to win the Clifford Cup too,” predicted Ratwatte.