Century old Havelock Sports Club hold AGM today | Page 2 | Sunday Observer

Century old Havelock Sports Club hold AGM today

24 June, 2018

Romesh Abeywickrema is tipped to be elected as the president of Havelock Sports Club at their 103rd Annual General Meeting today.

Abeywickrema is a former St. Joseph’s College sportsman and was at one time the club’s secretary.

The Committee is likely to be made up of Patron Gamini Fernando, Vice Patrons Lal Silva, Ana Saranapala, Jeyer Rodriguez, Dan Ratnam, Anton Benedict, Wimal Senanayake, Y.C. Chang and Killi Pulendran, Trustees Christy Kunandhan and Ivor Maharoof, President Romesh Abeywickrema, Vice Presidents Mindika Hettiarachchi, Anuja Premaratne, PC, General Secretary Tiny Samat, Assistant Secretary Rajive Perera, Treasurer Thusitha Peries, Assistant Treasurer Madhawa Edussuriya, Bar Secretary V.S. Perry, Ground Secretary Lucky Bandara, Social Secretary Eranga Katepearachchi, Joint Sports Secretary Roshan Opatha,WPRFU Representative Nishantha Chanaka and Past President Yoosuf Mukthar. Committee Members are Rohan Gomis, Mangala Dharmapriya, Dinuka Perera and Chairman Disciplinary Committee Chaminda Rupasinghe

Havelock Sports Club was established in 1901 on a sandy patch of land and had its first club-house in 1915 with Dr. V.R. Schokman as its first president. The club took to playing rugby in 1920 with Col. E.H.Joseph as its president and J.C.A. Prins as the secretary and first captain. Havelock played their first game of rugby against (KV) Kelani Valley. The first Havelocks vs CR and FC rugby game was played on July 21, 1923.

In 1925 the club house on wheels was introduced for playing cards and bridge. In the early years, they had to move the club house, to show the requirements of tenancy.

In 1950 the Clifford Cup was introduced for clubs with Havelocks, CR, Kandy SC, Dimbulla, CH, Dickoya, KV and Uva contesting.

Havelocks were the first champions and the team had players like Ian Labrooy (captain), H.E.W. Metzeling, Hugh Aldons, Fred Aldons, Basil Henricus, E.M. Aldons, S.B. Pilapitiya, Alan Drieberg, Robert Sourjah, Vernon Kelly, Lecho Ephraums, Kenneth Gunawardena, Aubrey Raymond, Ian Bartholomeusz and D. Evarts. The success was repeated in 1951 and the next Clifford Cup win was in 1961 under the leadership of Dr. Hubert Aloysius who had players like Maurice Fairweather, Maurice de Silva, Ken de Joodt, Quentin Israel, Rajah Sumanasekera, Nimal Maralanda, Dicky Jayathileka, Brian Jacotine, Frankie David, Y.C. Chang, Gogi Tillekeratne, Richard Abrahams, Conrad Ephraums and Edward Bartholomeusz.

In 1964 the Clifford Cup was won under the captaincy of Dicky Jayathileka. Then again in 1967 under Gamini Fernando. In 1968 under Noel Brohier, Havies won the Clifford Cup and in 1970 Jeff Ratnam led the side and tied with Police in the final.

Desmond Harridge’s team beat CR and FC 16-4 in 1974 and in 1976, 1977 and 1978 Havelocks won under Thajone Savanghan, Jeff de Jong and Anton Benedict. After 1978 it was Angelo Wickramaratne’s team in 1983. And the next win for Havelocks was in 2012, after 31 long years.

At one time Havies was known as the cradle of club rugby. Some of the other top players who donned the jersey were CJ Senanayake, R.T. Vanculenberg, Robert Sourjah, E. Matthysz, V. Kelly, Allan Drieberg, S. Blake, R.Tucker, Dr. Harry Rasiah, Maurice Silva, Tyronne Fryer, Glen Vanlangenberg, Jeff and Dan Ratnam , Jupana Jayewardena, Denzil Kobbekaduwa, Jeyer Rodriguesz, Tyrone Holdenbottle, K. Sundaralingam, Jeffery de Jong, Hanzil Samad, Sandy Hameed, Omar Sheriff, Shafi Jainudeen, Hafi Abdeen, Ana Saranapala, Travis de Jong, Lal Silva, Baba Sourjah, Randy Petersz, Hiran Fernando, Anton Benedict, Thajone Savangham, Lanil Tennakoon, Michael Jayasekara, Hisham Abdeen, Frank Hubert, P.L. Munasinghe, David Nicolle, Marco de Silva, Orville Fernando, Royce Samaratunga, Chaminda Rupasinghe, Tony Amith, Leonard de Zilwa, Thusitha Peries, Graham Raux, Roshan Deen, Nishantha Chanaka, Kolitha Gunatilake, N.H. Karunasena, Aruna Uduwelagedera, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Ravi Ganapathy, Kavinda Jayasena, Jeffrey Sahid and Washim Thajudeen. Apologies for missing out on more names that cannot be recalled at the time of writing. 

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