Rohitha Rajapaksa, the captain of last season, takes over the team’s coaching while Sri Lanka flanker Sudharshana Muthuthanthri will lead a rejuvenated CH and FC at the new inter-club rugby season scheduled to start next month with a Sevens tournament.
Rajapaksa replaces veteran coach Viper Gunaratne after qualifying as the youngest rugby educator in the country having followed a World Rugby course conducted by Sri Lanka Rugby last year in Colombo.
He was assistant coach of the Sri Lanka youth team that won the Junior Asiad last year.
Muthuthanthri captained Havelocks when they ended League runners-up in 2013 and also plays as a Number Eight.
In 2018, he became the first Sri Lankan to be selected to play at the top-level Provincial Rugby tournament in New Zealand representing Auckland.
Janindu Dilshan, Kevin Dixon and Panduka Angammana have also joined CH and FC crossing over from Havelocks and according to Tanesh Dias, the General Secretary of the club, more players are negotiating to enroll.
“We have a rejuvenated structure and are working with a plan infusing some new faces to the squad which will be a mix of youth and experience. Our goal is to win all titles on offer,” said Dias.
Shammi Silva is its Chairman while Didula Rajapaksa and Sudantha Bandara are committee members.