Saliya Kumara takes over Havelock Sports Club coaching Job

Saliya Kumara Head Coach  of the Park Club

By Shamseer Jaleel

The former Vidyartha, Kandy SC player and former national sevens and fifteens player, former Women’s Head Coach and former Navy SC Head Coach and present Isipathana College Head Coach, Saliya Kumara will be the Head Coach of the Havelock Sports Club for 2023/2024 rugby season. 

He will take over from Sanath Martis. 

Havies went through a lean patch not being able to win the League for several years and will be playing with some top class school leavers in the recent past.

Finishing his college Rugby career at Trinity College, Kandy in 2003 Saliya had short stints at Havelocks SC, and CH and FC before moving back to the Hill capital in 2007 to represent Kandy SC where he ultimately retired in 2014. He was also a natural fit for the national squad, particularly in the sevens circuit, where he represented Sri Lanka Rugby in numerous international competitions from 2005 to 2014.

Saliya began his coaching career as a World Rugby-approved trainer and rugby educator, earning the WR Level 2 coaching certificate in both 15s and 7s formats. Saliya has previously worked as the Backs coach for Kandy SC (2016-2018) and Trinity College Rugby team (2018-2019). He was also the National Women’s Rugby team’s Head Coach and took Isipathana College to win the league last year as well. His last assignment was with the Navy Sports Club as their Head Coach and took the Sailors to move up in the ladder faster than ever before.