News Events When Priyantha Ekanayake Ruled…
By Hafiz Marikar By Courtesy http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/04/11/when-priyantha-ekanayake-ruled/ 
Priyantha Ekanayake Priyantha Ekanayake, the former St. Anthony’s College, Kandy Sports Club, CH & FC, CR & FC and Sri Lanka forward is Kandy Sports Club’s Senior Vice President and is going all out to maintain the club’s champion status this season. Except CH & FC Priyantha has led all the teams he played in. Priyantha Ekanayake can be rated as the best ruggerite produced by St. Anthony’s College, and is the first Antonian to lead a Sri Lanka side at rugby. He has the unique achievement of being the only ruggerite to lead the country at four ‘Asians.’ He was an outstanding third row forward during his days. He had an excellent record in school with his natural talent. Towering over six feet, Priyantha played rugger, cricket, basketball and also took part in athletics for the Antonians from 1973 to 1985. His pet sport was basketball at school, and represented the country at the 7th Asian Basketball Championship in Seoul, Korea where he also obtained a Korean Diploma in Basketball Coaching. Later he represented the country at several tournaments. At cricket he was a fine all-rounder, where he shaped up as a good pacie but rugby robbed him from cricket. He started his rugby career under the guidance of the famous Antonian coach Kalu Perera, who coached him till he left school. While still at school he played for Kandy Sports Club under Irwin Howie in 1985. From then on there was no stopping Priyantha who represented the Sri Lanka Under 25 team and toured Taipei in 1985. From about this time he was an automatic choice for the National team. After seeing his talent, in the very same year CH & FC’s king pin at the time, Kishin Butani grabbed him, and made him to play in the R. Premadasa Trophy Championship which CH & FC went on to win. After a short stint at CH & FC, Priyantha crossed over to CR & FC in 1987 and played for them till 1991. He led the side in 1990. In 1992 Priyantha Ekanayake and a set of players from CR & FC, most of them products of Kandy schools, came over to Kandy, and helped the club to win their first ever trophy in rugby after 42 years of club rugby. It was Priyantha, who motivated the Nittawela boys to do great things. From the year 1985 to 1997 Priyantha was a regular member of the Sri Lanka team and had the privilege of leading the country at four Asiads — a record. Priyantha also had a stint in New Zealand where he played for Ravense Bourne Sports Club in the Premier League. He also played in Wales for Ebbebale Province. In 1997 he made Kandy and the country proud by leading the Asian Barbarians invitation team. The Barbarians comprised of players from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. The other players who were selected were Thushara Jayalath of Havelocks SC and Asoka Jayasena of Kandy SC, but Asoka skipped the game due to Kandy Sports Club’s Cup Final. Priyantha Ekanayake became the first Sri Lankan to lead the Asian Babarians. In the first game against Hong Kong Under 24, which had some top notch players, Priyantha leading from the front were able to beat them by 46 points to 35. Then in the main game, they met the Hong Kong Dragons where again the Barbarians won by 26 points to nil. Priyantha gave his best for rugby and ended up as the President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union, where he had Dilroy Fernando as his secretary and did a good job. He coached the Kandy Sports Club side when Haris Omar led the team, and helped the club to win the inter club sevens for the first time.
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