Rugby club CR and FC is planning to celebrate its centenary by staging an international Sevens tournament in April or a domestic XV-a-side competition.
The centenary celebrations of the Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club will kick-off in September. “Several events are planned including an international Sevens tournament scheduled for April 2023 during the international break between the Hong Kong Sevens and Singapore Sevens,” said Ted Hiran Muttiah who was re-elected to head CR for the third consecutive year.
“There are a number of events being planned. We are looking at the feasibility of having an international Sevens tournament with eight overseas teams and local clubs, both men and women. It will be either an international Sevens or a local club tournament during the international window so that other fans also can take the opportunity to visit Sri Lanka but we are a responsible club and sensitive to the economic situation in Sri Lanka also,” he added.
"I am humbled by the membership’s confidence and honour bestowed upon me to continue the outstanding work of the respective General Committees and illustrious predecessors," said Muttiah speaking shortly after the 93rd AGM of a club that has struggled on the field in recent years, despite a very impressive record of a long list of talent to represent the country throughout its history.
A former Sri Lanka wing three-quarter, Muttiah scored two scintillating tries on debut for Sri Lanka at the 9th Asiad in Japan in 1984, securing Sri Lanka’s only win in the tournament against Malaysia. He represented Kandy SC and Upcountry as a centre three-quarter as a schoolboy in 1982, the year he captained Royal College before turning out for CR from 1983 to 86.
"CR remains primarily a rugby club. We aspire to regain the ‘red shirts’ rugby mojo. I am confident our young team will make the club proud inspired by the buoyancy of the centenary year," he added.
Kavindu de Costa and Kanchana Kumari will lead the club's men's and women's teams respectively in 2022-23 season. Dushantha Lewke and Sujani Ratnayake remain head coach for the men's and women's teams respectively.
“We go the existing team from last year. They have been loyal to the club as much as the club has been loyal to them. We are getting many approaches from players who are out of contract from other clubs. We don’t go looking for them. They are most welcome to talk to us. There are a lot of ongoing discussions with interested parties,” he said.
There are slight changes in the Committee with former Trinity College, Kandy SC skipper Tikiri Ellepola stepping up as deputy president while former S. Thomas’ College, Mt Lavinia and CR skipper Savantha de Saram slipping into the role of vice president.
“Generally we look at five years on a rotating basis and plan committees accordingly,” he said. The other committee members are Shanitha Fernando (vice president), Jakque Diasz (general secretary) and Dr Ravi Edirisinghe (treasurer).