Overcoming hurdles, jealousy and many other unseen obstacles, Sri Lanka’s newest rugby club is concealing much more as they come out at their maiden hunt to take on among others another breed of predator, one that has been a professional killer in Kandy SC for more than 20 years.
As they came out from their liar many rugby followers in the island were left wondering whether the Sri Lions were merely roaring between two rocks even until the final hour while some opposing clubs were busy setting traps to cage what they see as a potential beast.
“If you want to watch quality rugby, come and watch us play”, said Sri Lions skipper Kevin Dixon to a round of applause when he was asked a question by a journalist at their official Jersey launch on Thursday.
Captain of Sri Lions Kevin Dixon (centre) displays his team’s jersey at its launch on Thursday in the presence of commecial partner Aelian Gunawardene the Managing Director of JAT Holdings (left) and the club’s owner and founder Kelum Perera
The Sri Lions take on Kandy SC in the latter’s feared den at Nttawela today and the result could give rugby followers a glimpse of the future which hinges mostly on what happens in the domestic season that in recent years has been less patronized sans any high octane action apart from last season’s decider when a packed venue at Longden Place witnessed CR and FC dethrone Kandy SC.
Sri Lions would be the most scrutinized team and the new kids on the block know too well that pushovers will only add to the boredom that is a far cry from the days when teeming crowds thronged the venues in Colombo and Kandy.
“We are here to play some super rugby”, said the team’s owner and founder Kelum Perera.
Coached by Rajeev Perera the Sri Lions claim they have a pack weight of around 600 kilos along with a swiftly talented backline to run the ball and among them are eight players who have donned the Sri Lanka Jersey at some stage and four schoolboy captains of last year that includes Number Eight Dulaj Navodya who led St. Peter’s College to the 2024 league title.
But the Sri Lions also run the risk of any failure to live up to pre-tournament hype although critics contend it could be too early to judge the country’s newest rugby entity after two other outfits, the Hambantota Sharks and Upcountry Lions that were created through political patronage sank to the bottom or lost their bite and slipped into dubious history.
“We are not here to complain or find fault with others. We will be creating opportunities for players and I want to see my team play super rugby”, said Kelum Perera, a businessman in the United Arab Emirates who founded the Sri Lions five years ago with expatriate Sri Lankan players who had little or no opportunities to pursue their passions on the field.
They earned a promotion to the inter club A Division championships in Sri Lanka by winning the second division title last season and will play their home matches at Havelock Park.
