Former Sri Lanka player Saliya Kumara has gone back to his old club Havelocks to coach the beleaguered team at the upcoming 2023/24 inter club rugby season.
He replaces Sanath Martis with whom Havelocks went through an unproductive period as they faced many issues during the last season losing some of their top players who either joined other clubs or went for overseas work.
Saliya is no stranger to mentoring teams and was the head coach of the unbeaten Isipathana College when they won the inter school League rugby title as well as the inter-school knock out championship last season with number eight Dahan Wickremarachchi as their winning captain.
He is also one of the most renowned coaches in the island who has been in the forefront of many rugby teams as head coach during the recent past and has been instrumental in moulding some of Sri Lanka’s finest rugby players.
Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Observer, Saliya Kumara said: “I’m very much thankful to Havelock Sports Club for having faith in me and appointing me as their head coach”.
“As a past rugby player of Havelocks I’ll do my very best to make the Havies team a champion outfit again”.
He first learnt his rugby at Vidyartha College and crossed over
to Trinity College and then went on for stints at Kandy SC and CH and FC.