Johan Taylor in Kandy for one month

By Shamseer Jaleel

South African-born Johan Taylor who helped Kandy SC win many trophies with his expert coaching arrived in the island yesterday (15). He will be in Sri Lanka for a little over a month and will be with the Kandy team during this time period as a Consultant Head Coach for the up country club.

At present Kandy are the defending champions leading the group with six wins out of which five are bonus wins in tandem.

It was in 2006 when Kandy was looking for a professional rugby coach that the name of Dan van Zale, the former South African scrum-half and captain in 2000, was proposed and agreed upon, but he was offered the National Under20 rugby coach for Ireland and had to decline Sri Lanka’s offer. 

Taylor first came here at the end of 2006 and coached the team from 2007 for six years and guided them to win both the knockout and league title for five years. The rugby’s double eluded them in 2012. His absence as coach was felt badly. Taylor is a fine coach who has looked after our National Team as well as Royal College in 2013.

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 then 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 overlooking the Royal College juniors before he went back to his homeland. He later on had a short stint with the Kandy Sports Club with much success.

Taylor was instrumental in bringing Sri Lanka to the Asian Five Nations top five in Singapore when they became champions. Once again Sri Lanka dropped down to Division I and it was Taylor who was the Head Coach bringing Sri Lanka back to the top five in Philippines under the leadership of Fazil Marija two years back. Taylor who usually comes to Kandy since he left coaching spends time with the Kandy SC during this month.