Havelock Sports Club has decided to retain their long-standing head coach Saliya Kumara for the 2025–2026 rugby season. Under his guidance, Havelock SC displayed a vast improvement and ended the Dialogue A Division League Rugby Tournament as the runners-up. Further, the club displayed a stunning performance in the Mastercard Inter-Club Clifford Cup Knockout Championship 2025 but lost to CR & FC by just one point after a nerve-wracking finish in the semifinals.
Saliya Kumara is definitely a well-known figure among the island’s rugby fraternity, who started playing rugby at Vidyartha College. After his phenomenal performance in junior teams, Saliya played for the college first XV side from 2000 to 2002. In 2003, Saliya moved to prestigious Trinity College and gave his maximum to the school to win rugby colours. Saliya’s unmatched talent and tactical play separated him as the best from the rest, and he was adjudged as the rugby player of the year.
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Due to his stunning performance as a schoolboy, Saliya got a call-up from Havelock SC, and he began his club career. He enjoyed successful seasons at the Park club from 2003 to 2005. Then Saliya decided to change his jersey and cross over to CH & FC in 2006. After a sparkling performance at Maitland Crescent Club, Saliya returned to his hometown, as he got a call-up from the prestigious Kandy Sports Club in 2007. Since then he was a key performer for the Hill Country Club, and later he went on to captain the outfit in 2012 and won the league championship. During his tenure with Kandy SC, the club enjoyed its golden days by winning multiple major trophies.
Further, Saliya represented the national side (in both 7s and XV sides) as a halfback, and he also played as the fullback. He featured in the Hong Kong 7’s on six occasions and also at the Commonwealth rugby championship in 2006. In the same year, he played in the rugby 7’s tournament at the Asian Games 2006 in Doha, Qatar.
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In 2015, Saliya decided to hang up his boots and seamlessly transferred into the coaching field. He started his coaching career at Vidyartha College and later moved to Trinity College. Further, at one time he was featured as the assistant coach of Kandy Sports Club.
Year by year, Saliya managed to establish himself among the best coaches of the island, and he obtained “World Rugby Level 2” accreditation. In 2021 Saliya was appointed as the head coach of the Sri Lanka women’s rugby 7’s team. In 2022, Isipathana College hired Saliya in the capacity of the head coach, and during his tenure, Isipathana showcased a magical improvement by clinching one league championship, one league runner-up, and one third-place finish; and in knockout tournaments, they won two championships and one runner-up.
At present, Saliya renders his service to St Anthony’s College, and he will continue his coaching with Havelock SC for the third consecutive year. In the absence of the Forwards coach Dhanushka Botheju, Havelock SC appointed another giant in the field, Anuranga Walpola. The former Isipathana College, CR & FC, Kandy SC, and National XV player has already had successful coaching stints with Zahira, S. Thomas’ College (Mt. Lavinia), and Army SC. The current Ananda College coach is renowned as a hard-working coach who has the ability to bring the best out of the players.
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The experienced campaigner and former St. Peter’s fly-half, Sandesh Jayawickrama, will captain the Park Club, while another Peterite front rower, Janidu Fernando, will assist him.
With the combination of Saliya Kumara and Anuranda Walpola, Havelock SC will definitely be eyeing both the Inter-Club League and Knockout Tournament Championships, and according to their previous commitments, the target is definitely on the cards for the Pink Army.
Havelock Sports Club – Captains and officials for 2025/2026 Club Rugby Season
- Team Captain – Sandesh Jayawickrama
- Vice Captain – Janidu Fernando
- Head Coach – Saliya Kumara
- Assistant Coach (Forwards) – Anuranga Walpola
- Strength & Conditioning Coach – Sunimal Manamperi
- Team Manager – Ruklaan Kabraal
