CEYLONESE RUGBY & FOOTBALL CLUB
Through the pages of history
As we turn back the pages of history, we unfold events that led to the formation of this sports club. A passing reference had been made to Ceylonese Rugger, which was clamouring for recognition before the CR & FC was formed.
As history records, it all started when the founding father, Colonel Ernest Huntley Joseph, established Ceylonese Rugger; he grouped a Rugger team to play on the Non-descript Cricket Club Grounds. Colonel Joseph, who was the President of the N.C.C. took charge of his players, coached them, and organized fixtures with other established and reputed sports clubs. The instant success achieved prompted him to form a truly Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club, and for this purpose, public opinion and support were canvassed.
The Club, which took root in 1922, displayed its regimental colors of Red and Blue and, as it grew in stature, adhered to steadfast principles, the highest traditions and dignity and was soon considered the mecca of rugby. Through the years, the Club had produced many high-profile and outstanding players from a team popularly known as the ‘Red Shirts’, and many went on to represent the Country with distinction. The Club today is acknowledged both locally and abroad as the most important and prestigious Rugby Club in Sri Lanka. It is in the process of initiating a program to establish a Rugby Academy to develop rugby standards and nurture and groom aspiring ruggerites to attain national and international recognition.
As the Club prepares for another year of great promise and exciting rugby scheduled to commence from November 2014 onwards as a Club, we are enthused with many expectations to reach the top rung in the game. The game of rugby needs money and the team’s performance is heavily dependent on it to achieve this, the focus needs to be on financial resources to maintain the rugby squad, grounds, and other related activities for which the Club seeks the generosity of many to realize this dream.
THE BEGINNINGS, HIGHS AND LOWS, Wins
As of recent times, the Club has seen many developments and improvements with a face-lift in appearance and refurbishments, which makes the precincts more comfortable and pleasant for its members. In the past few months, the Club embarked on many projects which will benefit the members—improvements to the Billiards Room, Squash Courts, and Floodlit Tennis Courts. Stressing emphasis on fitness, the Club provided its Members with a Gymnasium, Swimming Pool, and Indoor Badminton and further ventured for an Archery Range as a relaxation. For entertainment, the Club outsourced Soap Football fun game and established Playtrix, which is a Sports Bar and Café.
The main entrance and side gate have been impressively installed through the kind courtesy of the Sri Lanka Army. Contracts have been renewed on corporate advertising billboards, which adds a colourful appearance to the grounds, and the Club hosted many International musical shows and live telecasts of sporting events. In a progressive plan, the Club is in the process of acquiring a transformer and a generator to proceed with delayed projects in the pipeline. With the season to unfold at years end, the Club’s “Red Shirts” ready themselves to battle it out on the rugby fields of Colombo and Hill Country. Our enterprising squad is shining their armoury, gearing for combat led by the Captain and his battalion of players comprising names.
With all these achievements, the ensuing year would see the Club, without doubt, be a popular rendezvous for rugby, entertainment, and relaxation, thanks to the many hands-on who made this a success story with many more chapters to turn over as the years roll on.
Explore
Our CR & FC Team
Tikiri Ellepola
President
Dinuk De Silva
Deputy President
Jakque Diasz
Honorary General Secratory
Janek Jayasekara
Honorary Treasurer
Trustees
Mr. Indrajith Coomaraswamy
Mr. Raji De Sylva
Mr. Hemaka Amarasuriya
General Commetee
President - Tikiri Ellepola
Hony Bar Secretary - Prasantha Waidyaratne
Hony Gen. Secretary - Jakque Diasz
Hony Restaurant Secretary -Hamza Hasanally
Hony Treasurer - Janek Jayasekara
Hony Ground Secretary - Ashean Karthelis
Deputy President - Dinuk De Silva
Hony Facilities & Infrastructure Secretary - Nishantha Wickramage
Vice President - Janodha Thoradeniya
Hony Social & Entertainment Secretary - Gyan Amerasinghe
Vice President - Zulker Hamid
Chairman Rugby Board -Savantha De Saram
Hony. Asst. Treasurer - Nuwan De Silva
Chairman Other Games - Mano Jayarajan
Hony Dep. Gen. Secretary - Shamal Rodrigo
Chairman Sponsorship - Madhushanka Ranatunga
Past President - Sriyan Cooray
Hony Social Media & Communication Secretary - Dishara Perera
Hony Life Member Rep - J.Rudra
Office Staff
Nayana Pujith - Act. General Manager
Harshana Premakeerthi - Finance Controller
Chinthaka Weerasinghe - Cost Controller
Dharshana Gunawardane - Administration Manager
Sangeeth Wickramarachchi - IT Executive
Rasanjana Madhusanka - Assistant Accountant
Arosh Sampath - Manager F & B
Romesh De Silva - Asst. Manager F & B
Thilak Nissanka - Purchasing Executive
Kavishka Madushan - Storekeeper
Supun Wijayantha - Account Assistant
Matheesha Perera - IT and Business Support
Honorary Life Members
1928 - Roy Wells
1932 - Basil Drieberg
1934 - F.J.D. Saram
1936 - Col. E. H. Joseph
1936 - J.A. Frewin
1949 - Dr. L.O. Weinman
1949 - C.A. Cameron
1949 - T.F. Blaze
1952 - Dr. Noel Kelaat
1952 - Vernon Kelaat
1954 - E.F.N. Gratiaen
1956 - G. De Zoysa
1956 - S.F. De Saram
1958 - J.W. Serasinghe
1958 - E. N. Ewart
1960 - Dr. W. D.Ratnavale
1961 - M. Sarawanamuttu
1961 - C.H.F Peiris
1961 - P. A. Buultjens
1966 - F. B. Ohlmus
1967 - Col. Stanley Fernando
1968 - W. Molegoda
1972 - F. R. Sirimanne
1972 - Dr. K. B. Sangakkara
1972 - Percy De Silva
1972 - Percy Perera
1972 - S.navaratnam
1972 - Malcolm Wright
1974 - G. Weinman
1974 - R. Rajasingham
1974 - M. Rodrigo
1974 - A.A. Cader
1975 - U.N. Gunasekera
1980 - Dr. Percy De Zilva
1980 - K. Rambukwelle
1988 - Fred Kellar
1990 - Devaka Rodrigo
1990 - A.K. Doray
1990 - Sari De Sylva
1995 - H. Speldewinde
1999 - R.T. De Sylva
1999 - N. Haji Omar
2001 - G. Manik Pereira
2001 - D.M. Balasuriya
2001 - D.V.P. Samarasekera
2001 - I. Coomaraswamy
2004 - S.R.P. Samarasekera
2008 - I. cader
2008 - R.T. Molligoda
2011 - Chrisanta F. Fernando
2012 - Dr. I.D. De Sylva
2012 - Michael Matthysz
2012 - Chula Dharmadasa
2013 - U.L. Kaluaratchi
2018 - Rodney Ingleton
2018 - Eric Roles
2018 - Hemaka Amarasuriya
2018 - John Rudra
2018 - Vipula Dharmadasa
2021 - Ajith Abeyrathne
2021 - C.P. Abeyagunawardena
2021 - Dr. Maiya Gunasekera
2021 - Jehan CanagaRetna
2022 - Rienzie Fernando
2022 - Paul Fernando
2022 - Rohan Siriwardene
2024 - Sriyan Cooray
2024 - Ted Hiran Muttiah
Past Presidents
1922 - E.H. Joseph
1936 - H.K. De Kretser
1948 - H. N.C.V. Kelaart
1953 - V. C. Kelaart
1954 - S.G.De Zoysa
1956 - J. W. Serasinghe
1957 - W. D. Ratnavale
1959 - A. P Koelmeyer
1960 - N.W .Weerasinghe
1961 - P. Ramanathan
1962 - F.B. Ohlmus
1964 - W. Molegoda
1967 - A.E.R. Mcheyzer
1968 - S. Navaratnam
1969 - M.G. Wright
1970 - G.C. Weinman
1971 - R. Rajasingham
1972 - M. Rodrigo
1973 - K. Rambukwelle
1974 - K. Rambukwelle
1975 - A.K. Doray
1976 - D. Rodrigo
1977 - T. C. M. Muttiah
1978 - Percy Perera
1979 - S. Navaratnam
1980 - Lalith De Silva
1981 - N.H. Omar
1982 - D. V. P Samarasekera
1983 - D. De Almeida
1984 - M. Ifthikar Cader
1985 - Shiraz H.C. Fernando
1986 - U.N. Gunasekera
1991 - S.R.P. Samarasekera
1993 - R.T. De Sylva
1995 - G. Manik Pereira
1996 - D. M. Balasuriya
1997 - D. M. Balasuriya
1998 - C. J. Fernando
2000 - E.M.S. Matthysz
2003 - Chula Dharmadasa
2005 - Ravi Balasuriya
2009 - Jehan CanagaRetna
2011 - Rienzie Fernando
2013 - Christo Jordashe
2015 - Ravi Guneratne
2017 - Sriyan Cooray
2018 - Sriyan Cooray
2020 - Ted Hiran Muttiah
2023 - Tikiri Ellepola
Past Captains
1923 - L.O. Weinman
1924 - A.R. Lourensz
1926 - A. R. Lourensz
1927 - J.A.V. Modder
1929 - C.W.M. Oorloff
1930 - G. Pereira
1932 - E.F.N. Gratiaen
1933 - E.F.N. Gratiaen
1934 - S G. De Zoysa
1935 - S G. De Zoysa
1936 - E.F.N. Gratiaen
1937 - R.E. blaze
1938 - W. D. Ratnavale
1940 - N. W. Weerasinghe
1942 - 2nd World War
1946 - F B. Ohlmus
1948 - F.E. Kellar
1949 - W. Molegoda
1950 - A. Perera
1951 - M. Rodrigo
1954 - S. Navaratnam
1955 - S. Navaratnam
1956 - M.G. Wright
1957 - A.A. Cader
1957 - G. Weinman
1958 - A.A. Cader
1959 - A. Paiva
1960 - K. Rambukwelle
1961 - G.weinman
1962 - G R.ingleton
1964 - R.T. De Sylva
1965 - S.C. De Sylva
1966 - E.D.K. Roles
1967 - M. Azaain
1968 - T. L. Sirimanne
1969 - M. Sahayam
1969 - N H. Omar
1970 - N.H. Omar
1971 - D.V.R Samarasekera
1972 - D. De Almeida
1973 - K.G. Ratnapala
1974 - R. Bartholomeusz
1975 - R.W. Schokman
1976 - L. Coomaraswamy
1977 - S.H.C. Fernando
1978 - L.M. De Z. Gunasekera
1979 - P.R. Balasuriya
1980 - J. Rudra
1981 - C. Abeygunawardena
1982 - I. Musafer
1983 - L.R. Siriwardene
1984 - E.M.S. Matthysz
1985 - S.K.R.T Peiris
1986 - W. Epaarachchi
1987 - C. Jordashe
1987 - D.T.A. Adhihetty
1988 - C. Jordashe
1989 - S. Siddik
1990 - P Ekanayake
1991 - L.V. Ekanayake
1992 - Lasitha Gunaratne
1994 - Shanitha Fernando
1995 - Lasitha Gunaratne
1996 - Virat Prasantha
1997 - A. Hensman
1998 - Champika Nishantha
2000 - Savantha De Saram
2001 - Kishan Musafer
2002 - Asanka Rodrigo
2003 - Shamly Nawaz
2004 - Pavithra Fernando
2007 - Anuradha Dharmatillek
2008 - Shamil Mohammed
2009 - Ashean Karthelis
2010 - Dushanth Lewke
2012 - Lasintha De Costa
2013 - Ishan Noor
2014 - Ashan De Costa
2015 - Ishan Noor
2016 - Shane Sammandapperuma
2017 - Kavindu Perera
2019 - Omalka Gunaratne
2020 - Kavindu De Costa
2023 - Suhiru Anthony
Past Honorary General Secretaries
1971 – C. H Seneviratne
1972 - N.H Omar
1973 – T.C.M Omar
1974 – M.A Carder
1976 – S.S Lovell
1977 – K. Padmaperuma
1978 – D.P.V Samarasekera
1980 – Shiraz Fernando
1983 - Denzil Fernando
1984 – Cecil L. Perera
1985 - L.R Siriwardena
1986 - S.S Lovell
1989 – D.M Balasuriya
1991 – Michael Matthysz
1992 – Winslie Rodrigo
1995 – Sahanthilal de Alwis
1996 - J. CanagaRetna
1997 – Pradeep Fernando
1998 - Keneth Jayasinghe
2000 - Mahendra Balasuriya
2002 – V.L.A Ratnayake
2013 – Ransiri Sahabandu
2016 – Hamza Hassanally
2019 – Jakque Diasz
2023 – Jakque Diasz
Past Honorary Treasurers
1971 – N.H Omar
1972 - S. Samaravikrama
1974 - Nesan Asiriwathan
1976 - T. Somaswaran
1978 - Ajith Jhonpillai
1979 - P.C.H Fernando
1983 - E.R Abeydeera
1984 - Mahen Fernandopulle
1986 - P.C.H Fernando
1991 - S.J.W Jayarathnam
1993 - Sunil Katunayake
1995 - C.F Fernando
1996 - Priyan Rajapaksha
1998 - Sunil Karunanayake
2000 – Uddaka Thennakoon
2013 - I.V.A Gunathilaka
2016 - Aashiq Lafir
2020 – Ravi Edirisinghe
