Believe it or not a Sri Lanka legendary rugby player named Frank Hubert had to pay to play for his country. It happened in 1978 at the world famous Hong Kong Sevens, an event contested by the best on the planet and Hubert had to pay 15 rupees to buy a Sri Lanka Crest to sport on his blazer or simply coat.
At that time it was not pocket change and players earned nothing playing for the country unlike today where the country’s cricketers play to earn big money to buy the latest model cars, reside in swimming pool houses and live in the lap of luxury with untold riches.
Hubert was one of the special brand of ex-cricketers and rugby stars of St. Peter’s College who teamed up at a reunion to mark the 50th anniversary of the Joe-Pete one-day match in March.
But he traded cricket for his passion rugby and was over-the-moon each time he wore the Sri Lanka Elephant jersey.
“It’s important to reflect on today’s era. When we played, we played for our country with all our love”, recalled Hubert in an interview with the Sunday Observer.
“When we went to get our kit, two white jerseys with the green elephant and two green and white hoop stockings, I asked the secretary, ‘Sir, can I have the crest to wear on the blazer, the Sri Lankan Rugby Union crest?’ He said, ‘Of course you can, 15 rupees.’ I had to pay 15 rupees.
“So nowadays, guys should realise we paid for that because we loved our country so much. It’s a different game now.”
In the annals of sporting history, there are tales that transcend the boundaries of time, resonating with the essence of passion, perseverance, and integrity. Such is the story of Frank Hubert, a former St. Peter’s, Havelocks and Sri Lanka fly half, whose journey embodies the spirit of the game in its purest form.
“I never took cricket any further because rugby was my game,” said Hubert who was 12th man in 1972 under Roy Dias. He scored 150 against Thurstan, 93 against St. Benedict’s and 81 against S. Thomas’ in the 1974/75 season.
Fresh in his memory is the “baptism of fire” he faced representing Havelocks led by Shafi Jainudeen as a schoolboy in 1975. “I played against the Air Force, and they practically kicked me on the head to try and get me out. But I bounced back, and we emerged victorious,” he declares proudly.
He proudly recalls representing Sri Lanka at the Hong Kong Sevens in 1978. “There were five Peterites among those seven players in that team, which I think must be close to a record,” he said. Among them were Ronald Rodrigo, Michael Jayesekera and Angelo Wickremaratne.
“We performed quite well in that tournament, considering they only had the Cup and the Plate on offer and the Bowl came later because nobody could envision an Asian side winning.
“If I recall correctly, the programme in 1979 highlighted our team as the brilliant Sri Lankan small made tacklers. We tackled everyone, despite our small stature.
“When we went to Hong Kong, we got standing ovations. People respected us. It’s amazing how we kept this culture going”, said Hubert.
Having hung up his boots after an injury forced him to quit, Hubert took up the whistle in 1979 but the calling to play was greater the following year.
“I told my wife, ‘One more chance, you know.’ She said, ‘Are you mad? You’ve got a letter from a doctor.’ I said, ‘No, I want one more go’,” he said.
He pleaded with the Havelocks president Julian P Grero to give him one more chance. “He said, ‘Yes Frank, if you want to take the risk, then you may be captain’,” he recalled and was the most senior playing since 1975.
He not only had to lead the side but also act as coach. “That year, nobody wanted to coach us. I ended up being the coach. Jeff Ratnam came and helped me as a coach. It was, I think, the youngest team ever to win the SLRFU knockout tournament,” said Hubert.
The following year he wanted to retire and go back to St. Peter’s to help rugby coach Archibald Perera but Angelo Wickremaratne the captain of 1981 wanted Hubert to stay on for one more year.
It turned out to be his best year as Havelocks won a triple crown plus the B division title. “I don’t think anybody has beaten that record even now,” said Hubert.
In 1982 Hubert went back to coach St. Peter’s to help Archibald who passed way that same year. “I was 27 years old. Just imagine, taking over from this legend. It was not easy, you know,” recalled Hubert.
He has memories of what Archibald told him on his deathbed. “I went to see him at the General Hospital. And even when he was dying, he was saying, ‘Frank, have you got the team up for the match tomorrow?’”
“This guy is dying, he still loves his College. If you talk about legends, this man was a legend. I don’t believe anybody can come close to him,” declared Hubert.
“He (Archibald) was till his death talking about St. Peter’s. How many people do that? And he was never paid, he had an honorary job”.
But Hubert as coach of the Peterites was determined to beat Trinity College they had not beaten for 44 years. After taking over as coach he produced a team in 1984 to beat Trinity but the match ended in controversy at Bogambara.
Bertie Dias was the coach of Trinity. But the referee didn’t turn up and Tony Amit filled in with the whistle.
“Having being a referee I will not comment about another referee. But the fact that he (Amit) played over eight minutes extra time until Trinity scored in the dark, was beyond me. We were robbed, there is no doubt about it,” claimed Hubert. “Even Bertie Dias came and said, ‘Frank, you won.’ But we didn’t win, the record shows we lost.”
The following year they had the same side with Rajith Abeygunawardena as captain but as fate would have it, he had to take up a job in the Middle East.
“We had played two or three matches. I was looking for someone to take over, because I knew this team would beat Trinity. Nobody wanted to coach because it was an honorary job.
“I went to Angelo (Wickremaratne) and said, ‘Angelo, look, you owe me a favour. In ‘81 I played one more season, you have to come and coach’. This team will beat Trinity, I told him. He came and took over.”
“We beat Trinity that year, 18-0. We broke the hoodoo. The boys wrote me a letter because I was in Oman, saying, ‘Sir, we won. To Sir with love.’ It was really nice of them.”
He also fondly recalls pairing with some great half-backs at Havelocks like Hanzil Samad, Ronald Rodrigo and Sandy Hamid.
“Hanzil was not a good passer, but a very good player. Ronald was a fantastic passer. Sandy Hamid was the best.
“This guy (Hamid) was able to flick the ball backwards. He was such a great scrum half. He was amazing,” said Hubert.
He was also concerned with the lack of discipline with the influx of money into the game. “I think discipline has gone as well. Discipline is not only on the pitch; discipline is off the pitch as well.
“Some of the guys I coached in the ‘84 team were coming to me and saying, ‘Sir, you taught us so much, not only on the field’. I said, ‘I was taught by Archibald, the same thing. I just passed it on to you’,” said Hubert.
Sharing some memorable moments from his playing days, he recalled the SLRFU President’s Trophy knockout final between CR&FC and Havelocks at Longden Place. “There was a huge crowd with Jagath Fernando, CR man, referee. Anyway, I told the boys, ‘We’re not here to play with the referee, we’re here to play rugby’. No arguing, just get on with it.
“CR had put wing forward Sahabandu as second full-back. There were two guys to protect my chip but I never chipped. I just passed.
“With about 10 minutes to go, I saw him moving away. When I chipped, he knew he had got caught and slipped. I caught it and I was running. I was never a very fast runner. I could run 10 yards fast. I knew I was going to get caught.
“And he (Sahabandu) was catching up with me. I looked around and who was next to me? Hisham Abdeen. He scored under the posts and we won,” Hubert recalled in all his exuberance.
A respected referee, he shook his head in disbelief at the approach of present day referees. “The book is a guideline. You should blow what you see. I was one of the few referees who used to get down on my body and look. I can’t see otherwise. No referee did that,” he said.
He related how he caught a player punching because of that. “I saw him lifting the hand. Beep, you’re out. He accepted it because I saw it. He never expected me to see it. That was how it was,” said Hubert.
Hubert not only commanded authority with the whistle but demanded respect from the crowd. When a Bradby match was disrupted by a stone-throwing incident at Nittawela, he threw the whistle into the crowd and walked off.
“I didn’t come here to get stoned. I don’t get paid to come here. I get paid by the SLRFU to come by train. Why should I get stoned because they are losing,” said Hubert defiantly. The match resumed after sanity prevailed.
