Wesley felicitates 2025 rugby sponsors

Wesley Rugby Committee Treasurer Imtiaz Iqbal, Wesley Sports Head Rizan Hamidon, Principal Avanka Fernando, CDB Assistant General Manager – Marketing and Sustainability Suneth Senadheera, Wesley Rugby Committee President Hirosh Rupasinghe, CDB Brands Head – Marketing and Sustainability Mevan Ranasinghe, Captain Sandul Gammanpila, Vice-Captain Abdul Haadhi, and Co Vice-Captain Hashim Thabeeth 

Co Vice-Captain Hashim Thabeeth, Wesley Rugby Committee Treasurer Imtiaz Iqbal, Deedat Marketing Manager Sham Mohideen, Assistant General Manager Raneez Sheriff, Principal Avanka Fernando, Wesley Rugby Committee President Hirosh Rupasinghe, Captain Sandul Gammanpila, and Vice-Captain Abdul Haadhi 

Consumer Healthcare Head Rimaz Rizwie (left) handing over sponsorship to Wesley Principal while Brand Manager Chandika Herath looks on

Align Dental Care COO Dr. Kasun Ambalangodage handing over sponsorship to Wesley Principal, while Assistant General Manager – Marketing Hisham Adhil looks on

ESOFT Metro Campus CEO Nishan Sembacuttiaratchy (left) handing over sponsorship to Wesley Principal, while ESOFT Metro Campus Marketing Head Darshana Dewanarayana looks on

4th-year Coloursman Sandul Gammanpila will lead the Double Blues with 3rd-year Coloursman Abdul Haadhi as Vice-Captain and 4th-year Coloursman Hashim Thabeeth as deputy Vice-Captain. 

The Wesleyites will be guided this year yet again under a strong Kingswood-Wesley alumni coaching combination. Former Wesley, CR&FC, Havies league-winning Captain and Sri Lanka National Tusker Henry Terence is Head Coach; former Kingswood, CR&FC, Kandy SC, Sri Lanka, and 7s specialist Amjad Buksh and former Wesley, Sri Lanka, CH&FC and Navy winger Niranjan Wickremeratne will be the Backs Coach; former Kingswood, Sri Lanka, and ex-Navy SC skipper Thilina Weerasinghe is the Kicking Coach. 

Meanwhile, the experienced Tharanga Galapitawatta is the physiotherapist, Madhuka Marasinghe is the trainer, whilst Pastor Emil Lasantha and Bro. Piumal Perera will continue as Team Manager and MIC.

• Sponsors: Citizens Development Business (CDB) will continue to support Wesley Rugby as Principal Sponsor, strengthening a decade-long partnership. Deedat continues their support as a Sponsor for yet another season. Hemas Pharmaceutical, with their product ’Appeton,’ are also joining as a Sponsor.
• Clothing partner: GORDONE Sri Lanka and WITCO (Wakkumbura Industrial Technology)
• Gumshield partner: 

Align Dental Care

• Higher education partner: 

Esoft (ESU)

• Radio partner: FOX 91.4 
• Digital strategic partner: 

DB (Double Blue)

• Print partner: idea
• Entertainment partner: 

CMB Events

A look back at history

Taking up rugby in 1956 under Eddie Buell as their first captain, Wesley has come a long way in the game. Former School Master Donton D’Abrera is dubbed as the ‘Father of Wesley Rugby,’ who did yeoman service to uplift the game.

In terms of the Schools Rugby League, the Wesley lads are yet to win a league title; however, they were an inch close in 1997 and 2003/04, ending as runners-up. 

Wesley’s glorious year was 2013, winning their maiden 1st XV silverware, the President’s Trophy Knock-outs, under the mercurial Rahul de Silva. They ended up as runner-up in 2002, 2004, and 2019, and the most recent successful season under was Mursheed Doray (League 4th). In 2022, under Tharusha Jayaweera, they finished the league at 4th and were knockout semi-finalists. 

Last year Wesley retained the Blaze Trophy by defeating traditional rivals Kingswood for the third time in a row for the first time in history. Wesley’s oldest rival in rugby is Royal College, whom they have played since 1956. 

Reggie Bartholomuesz, Zubair Doray, Ranjit Abeydeera, Ransiri Sahabandu, Cavan Gauder, Iqbal Musafer, Kishan Musafer, Zulfikar Haleemdeen, Duminda Pulukkuttiarachchi, Kasun de Silva, Henry Terence, Niranjan Wickremaratne, Niroshan Karunanayake, Samantha Lakshan, Dulanjana Wijesinghe, Rahul de Silva, Shehan Dias, Sithum Peiris, Shashika Fernando, Mursheed Doray, Vimukthi Gamage, and Hafiz Thabeeth are some notable players who donned the national jersey.

Mursheed, Vimukthi, and Hafiz are the most recent Tuskers who played at the Asian Rugby qualifiers against Malaysia and the New Zealand Under-85 kg team.

The Wesley Rugby fraternity urges all the rugby-loving public to enjoy the game with true sportsmanship whilst uplifting the spirit of the game.

2025 League Fixtures (1st Round)

6 June - Science College – Havelock Park

13 June - D.S.S – Longden Place

21 June - St. Anthony’s – Nittawela

28 June - St. Peter’s – Havelock Park

5 July - Ananda – Havelock Park

(2nd Round starts 3rd week of July)

Kingswood – Blaze Trophy (TBD)

S’Thomas – Sir Oliver Goonetilleke Shield (TBD)