A Sri Lankan boy, Yasiru Kanathigoda, has put himself on course to play for the Australia Under-19 rugby team after he was recognized and selected by the Victorian Schools Rugby Union under-18 Merit Team this year.
Kanathigoda is the First Fifteen team captain of his Melbourne High School and has earned recognition for being an exemplary character on and off the field while making major contributions to the sport playing as a centre three-quarter.
He was awarded the Best Backs Player of the Year 2019 at the Schools Victoria competition.It marked a significant achievement and probably the only under-18 player of Sri Lankan origin who has been selected from the whole state.
He is the son of former Ananda College prop forward Panduka Kanathigoda.
Melbourne High School is one of the State of Victoria’s four selective entry high schools which provide an educationally enriched environment for academically high-achieving students from Years 9 to 12.
Selection is highly competitive through rigorous testing and the junior Kanathigoda was fortunate to be selected to this school four years ago.
He was also a member of the school cricket team from a young age at Grade 9 and went on to represent the Victoria district under-16 cricket team known as the Scorpions.
He represented his school at inter-state competitions in Brisbane and Adelaide as well as within Victoria.
During the winter season in Australia he embarked on his rugby journey being drawn to the ferocity and passion of the game.
His pace and running power is said to be a force to reckoned with.