Johan Taylor to coach Kandy SC 2013/2014

Friday, 18 July 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sean Wijesinghe will lead the Kandy SC outfit in 2013/2014

By Shamseer Jaleel South African born Johan Taylor will coach Kandy SC in the 2013/2014 rugby season in Kandy by next month. He coached the Kandy Sports Club for six years in tandem and guided them to win both the knock out and league title for five years and the rugby’s double eluded them in the 2012 rugby season. He will have a huge task on his able hands as he will not only need to bring back the league but also the Clifford Cup knock out which the Kandy lost custody of last year after a long keep at their club house in Nittawela.

Johan Taylor played most of his rugby in Ireland and is a top level qualified rugby coach (Level III) who also had a stint in coaching the national side. He was instrumental in bringing Sri Lanka from division I to Top 5 when they beat the Singapore outfit in 2007. He is also a top golfer winning many awards in the golf tournaments conducted by the Victoria Golf and Country Resort. He is very well known for his calm and cool character, and hardly interferes in the progress of the game even under difficult circumstances and allows the players to execute the plan which was implemented before the game. Johan Taylor who is the International Rugby Board (IRB) Level III coach from Ireland came to coach the Kandy SC in 2007 and continued till 2012. During his initial tenure at Kandy Sports Club, they won the 2007 League Championship, captured the Clifford Cup and defeated all teams in 2007. In the first year Kandy SC became unbeaten champions and Triple champions, the following two years in 2008 and 2009 the club were rugby champions winning all trophies awarded by the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU). In 2010 and 2011 although they lost a few games, still continued to be the Rugby League Champions and winners of the Clifford Cup. In his last year in 2012 was a testing period for the club as the SLRFU introduced overseas players for all ‘A’ Division clubs and local players trading also became a setback for Kandy Sports club. Kandy lost its league but held on to the Clifford Cup. He was over-looking the Royal College juniors before he went back to his home land. Johan will have a tough job in his hands as most of the aging players will have a tough time getting their selections against the younger blood. The second team won the league and were coached by Nalaka Weerakody will be a good feeder for the senior team. Players will need to pull their socks up and perform if not they will have a tough ask in getting in to the side. Johan Taylor’s coming back was possible due to the talk held with him and Kandy SC patron and rugby promoter in the country Malik Samarawickrema. Malik played for Royal as a Scrum Half. Kandy SC will have Nigel Ratwatte and Arshard Jamaldeen turning up for them this season along with three overseas players who will join the club in October this year. Kandy SC will be led by former Sri Lanka skipper and Trinitian Sean Wijesinghe. He will former Antonian player Lasantha Wijesuriya as the Rugby Chairman with Kapila Silva acting as the Manager of the team.

Central Province Rugby union to conduct Under-13 and 14 tournaments

Schools from Central province will participate in the under 13 and under 14 rugby tournament organised by the Central Province Rugby Football Union (CPRFU) which will take place on 26 July at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium. Over 40 schools have already confirmed their participation in this event with schools from Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Gampola, Hatton and Hasalaka participating in this tournament. Mayor of Kandy Mahendra Ratwatte and his brother former Trinity lock forward and Rugby ‘Lion’ Lohan Ratwatte and Governor of Central Province Tikiri Kobbekaduwa will grace the occasion. (SJ)