Malik Samarawickrema’s contribution to Kandy Sports Club should be weighed in gold. This would remind players of their responsibility for ensuring that rugby is always played in a truly sportsmanlike manner.
This club was founded in 1874 as Kandy Athletic, Boating, Cricket, Football and Dancing Club and after 14 years the name was changed to Kandy SC, now the most successful rugby team of all time since 1992 after playing the first league competition in 1950.
It all happened after Malik Samarawikrema’s arrival in Kandy to take the club to a new level like never before. His vision was instrumental in bringing top class rugby to Kandy SC that became a reality under the presidency of the late Dr. Sarath Kapuwatte and this writer too was in the committee. But Malik was the key figure behind everything as Kandy SC won the Clifford Cup for the first time in 1992 and the League for the first time in 1994.
It was through his personable, persuasive and tenacious approach that made this club do what it had done and Malik deserves to be called the Mr. Rugby of Kandy SC.
After leaving Royal College where he was baptized in rugby, he learnt the rudiments of the game and excelled in the inter-school season as a famed scrum half. He went on to play for CR and FC and Sri Lanka.
During his playing days at Royal from 1966 to 1968 his team mates were Jagath Fernando, HCP Malwatte, AJ Yusuf, Maiya Gunasekera, Fred Pereira, B Liversz, CR de Silva, DJ Perera, R. Thurairatnam, Bryan Baptiste and G. Mohammed to mention a few. At CR he had team mates like Indrajit Coomaraswamy, Ronnie Schokman, Jagath Fernando, Reggie Bartholomeusz and Ratnapala.
Malik was a nippy and daring scrum half who gathered the ball from the base and slung out intelligent and well directed passes to his fly half who always was well positioned to get the line moving that resulted in an avalanche of tries for school and club.
He also served as treasurer vice president, president of Sri Lanka Rugby and manager of the Sri Lanka team.
But the ever modest garment industry tycoon may insist that one may pour in all the funds and material, but if one does not have the men and the spirit to convert these ‘goodies’ into success, the club will not make any headway.
The late Dr. Sarath Kapuwatte and his able committee, sponsors and well-wishers delivered with spirit, all the necessary facilities at all times providing the players the best and they have repaid by pocketing all trophies and titles on offer. But as long as Malik is around, sponsorships and support will flow like a river and the team players will do their part by performing at peak.
Today in Kandy at club level, only rugby is the sport which is on the correct path. The rugby ground is not a place for the frail or faint heart sportsman. Rugby players of Kandy have been acknowledged as some of the most skillful to play the game, lighting up Sri Lanka rugby for many years.
Kandy SC is a club with a long and proud history and that history may have counted for very little if not for Malik and his brains. It took 42 years for this Nittawela club to win a trophy and become almost an invincible force in the rugby field thereby destroying the dominance of the Colombo based clubs. That was after Malik’s arrival and even the schools were encouraged and raised their standards in Kandy. And Malik is also a strict disciplinarian who has seen the club win the League 20 times and the Clifford Cup 22 times.
He initiated successful contracts with players, promoted careers and gave employment and arranged sponsors. So successful was he, that players showed a keen interest in turning out for Kandy SC.
Malik was the founder of the Singer/Sri Lankan Airlines International Sevens. He supported and helped the organizers to conduct this tournament for 10 years from 1999 to 2008 gaining IRB status in 2004.
This international Sevens tournament, which was introduced to celebrate 125 years of Kandy Sports Club in 1999, was one of the most successful international tournaments to be organized in Sri Lanka. Again in 2004 the club conducted the Rugby World Cup Qualifier for the Asian region.
On successfully conducting this event, the IRB offered the event the first “Asian Region Rugby Seven’s Satellite Series” in 2005 and even provided IRB funds to conduct this tournament. Unfortunately this tournament was hijacked by the Rugby Union and taken to Colombo and Malik will say that while it is easy to reach the top, it is more difficult to stay on top! Kandy SC has stayed at the top for more than two decades.
The new look he gave the Nittawela ground is amazing. He brought it to international standard by adding tiers behind the two goal posts and also built a modern pavilion.
When the history of rugby is recorded at Nittawela, the name of Malik Samarawickrama will stand out as one of the greatest administrators and friends of this sport.