IRB Level II courses in Kandy a huge success

Saturday, 27 September 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Shamseer Jaleel For the very first time in Sri Lanka a level II training and education program was conducted by an International Rugby Board (IRB) accredited panel of Nihal Viper Gunaratne (Junior), Ananda Kasturiarachchi and Sanath Martis at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium. All three of them hold the level 3 license to conduct training. This training was approved by the International Rugby Board (IRB), conducted by the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) and Central Province Rugby Football Union (CPRFU)

Former Trinity ‘Lion’ Kandy skipper and National Selector Pradeep Basanyake, Thushitha De Silva (Trinity Under 18 coach), Gerald Rasiah (former Trinity Boxer), Nalin Wijesinghe, Y.M.S. Ratnayake, Sanjaya Amunugama, Dinesh Gamage, Priyantha Gunaratne and Radika Hettiarachchi (former Sri Lanka sevens skipper and Dharmaraja Head Coach) participated in the five-day course. Gunaratne, who is considered as one of the top coaching staff in the rugby field in the country, with the help of two top former players Kasturiarachchi (Kingswood and Kandy SC) and Martis (Isipathana and CR&FC) completed this task. Both Kasturiarachchi and Martis coached the Junior Asiad Sri Lankan Under 20 out for the tour of Buan, South Korea in 2008. Martis is the Head Coach of the SLRFU Development and Assistant National Fifteens Coach. Kasturiarachchi is the present Technical Advisor of the Under 20 Sri Lanka Youth team which is at present involved in the Junior World Rugby Tournament (JWRT) in Colombo with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taipei.