“Women rugby warriors restored my faith in the game” Chandrishan Perera

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The Sri Lankan Women’s Rugby team has proven themselves as a strong arm in Asian Rugby recently. Accelerating up the ranks from the 14th position to Asia’s 5th; the national squad escalated themselves into a team of contention in Thailand as well as in India last year.  

They’ve also fought world champions – Fiji – as well as Asian champions -Japan- shoulder to shoulder despite the lack of appearance and size. “It’s clear  how the capable we are, we’ve made to the top 5 from 14 in less than two years. If we can inject the spirit the current players have to rest of the Sri Lankan women we can definitely lead the Asian rugby 7s”coach of women’s national rugby Chandrishan Perera stated on team’s success.

The women’s rugby team was lying in the very bottom of the Asian women’s rugby couple of years ago, mainly because rugby is not very popular among females in Sri Lanka. However with the contributions from the Sri Lanka Army Navy and Air Force, the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) had been able to push the levels up. Currently the women’s rugby team a is a compilation of players from all around the country – Awissawella, Welimada, Matale, Dankotuwa, Hikkaduwa, Rathgama, Dankatowa, Pannala. The women’s rugby 7s team is about to face the biggest challenges in the sport- facing the big teams; to match the 6 foot 5 players from Fiji, 110kg players of China big Japanese Samoan girls.

For the next chapter in Women’s Rugby the involvement of boxers, volleyball players, tug of war players with bigger body capacities are crucial according to Chandrishan. He stresses that the women at rugby today are the ambassadors who’ve shown the path to success; but he also points out that now it’s time for a switch to bigger built, stronger women. This is imperative to beat Asian women’s rugby records ahead of us. ”What these women have achieved is on their own. I have pushed them to the extreme, but in turn they’ve shown me a resilient wave of strength which I’ve not seen among any other athlete in this country. Rugby 7s is one of the hardest sports humans play. So their playing testimony that they have very big heart. Honestly, they’ve restored my faith in the game,” he added.

Thanuja Weerakkodi who got qualified for the national pool after Sabaragamuwa Provincial Club Representation now leads the women’s rugby team. She started the rugby journey back in school – Sithawaka National College “Rugby was a trend in our school, particular women’s rugby. We were brought up in a sisterhood where seniors always brought rugby championship trophies to school,” Thanuja recalled her early on influences in the sport. Currently as a mother of two children, as well as a Navy officer, Thanuja still has not given up her responsibilities as a female rugby player. “I believe it’s my spirit that carried me through all the way. Entering married life and continuing with the job was very challenging parallel to the sport. But my family was extremely supportive and hence here I stand today balancing my needs and pursing my passion,” she added.

Thanuja has also extended her passion to her sister Sanjeewani. Following Thanuja’s footsteps Sanjeewani Weerakkodi was able to be part of the national squad early on; just as a teenager, at the age of 18. Schooling in Seethawaka National College, she also had been a Sabaragamuwa provincial representative in her early rugby career. She believes getting selected to the national squad was undeniably a great opportunity which she never dreamed of. “I completely gave up on the sport when I was 16; started working on my studies and was focused on my O/Ls. Then I saw my sister was fighting to keep up with the sport with her family life. I was truly inspired and then I was back in with her support”, Sanjeewani stated commenting on her unusual re-entry to rugby. However, now she’s convinced rugby is part of her life and is looking forward to pursue a long lasting journey in rugby.  “I’m always met with seniors, in age. So I think it’s always a struggle for me to keep up with them but many of them are from my school; so they’ve always got my back. I really feel confident and am enjoying every minute of the game.”

Starting off rugby in school, at Hikkaduwa Maha Maya Vidyalaya, M.D. Randhika Guanthilaka had an exceptional entry to the sport. With just two days of practices she was opportunistic to take part in a girls’ under 16 rugby tournament.  Since then she has mastered in the sport, to the position of becoming the Navy women’s captain. She is also part of the national squad. “For us who schooled in the South rugby was an instant trend. We weren’t exposed to the game by the time we started playing it. I didn’t have any idea about the seriousness of the sport; injuries or even how it is played,” Randhika shared her early memories with ThePapare.com. “Well now we have lot of friends who share the interest. I’m a huge fan of Fiji men’s rugby. I go to watch men’s rugby matches and observe the players in my position. I think this interest in rugby as a sport rose as I joined the national squad. “joining the national rugby squad in 2013 Randhika has taken part in Thailand tour where Sri Lanka was ranked 5th. Locally Navy women’s rugby team is ranked as champions of club 7s under her captainship. 

The future of rugby is ever expanding; now with the inclusion of Rugby 7s in Olympics, Sri Lanka has to produce men’s as well as a women’s rugby team as a symbol of gender equality. “I can trust these kids to outstand at Olympics, but of course we have to improve,” Chandrishan worded his assurance in the team.

This is another great tale which proves the mind and the heart of Sri Lankans are very pure, and the sacrifices they do in the name of the Lion are unbelievable. For Sri Lanka, the future is mighty; now the IRB is focused on women’s rugby7s, and Sri Lanka is part of the big Olympic 7s family.

ThePapare.com commends these girls who have delivered from nothing and this round up about them is attesting the Sri Lanka Women’s Rugby team.