World Rugby has seen many great duos and trios of brothers representing their respective clubs and country.
The Tuilagis, where 5 represented Samoa at the highest level while the youngest, Manu Tuilagi represents England, the Barretts, Beauden, Scott and Jordie, playing for the All Blacks alongside Julian and Ardie Savea and the Ioane siblings, Akira and Reiko are some of the big names to make waves in World Rugby. Brothers playing together is always a special treat to watch and we don’t have to look far from our very own shores, which boasts of a proud history of over a century of playing the oval shaped ball game, to find a few more siblings in Rugby. Here we look at the brothers who are currently in action in the Sri Lankan rugby scene.
1.The Weeraratnes
Gayan and Roshan, the Weerarathne duo from the Hill Capital have led Kandy to league titles, represented Sri Lanka at the highest level and are both products of Kingswood College Kandy. Gayan, the older of the two, is currently leading defending League and Clifford Cup Champions Kandy SC for the 2017/18 season. Gayan plays at center and has already made an impact in the two games he’s played this season. Roshan is out with a knee injury but is set to return to his favored Scrum Half position, where he has excelled at Kandy since he secured the position as a school-leaver, soon.
- The Lees
Having played their final games for Wesley College, Colombo recently, both Avantha and Avishka Lee have both been recruited by CH & FC. Avishka made his debut in the previous game where he had a good outing while Avishka came off the bench to get some game time. Both have been excellent players in the school rugby arena where they made an impact for the Double Blues. Avishka plays at Scrum Half while Avantha is more of a utility back who has excelled at the outside center position.
- The Rajapakses
After spells at Navy Sports Club and Army Sports Club over the last few years, both Yoshitha and Rohitha Rajapakshe will play together at CH & FC this season. The duo, alongside their now retired older brother Namal Rajapakse, played their school rugby at S. Thomas’s College, Colombo. Yoshitha plays at his favored flanker position while Rohitha plays at Fly Half for CH. Rohitha is also the captain of the club who are currently in a spot of bother at the start of the season.
- The Dharmapalas
Richard and Richie, products of Science College Colombo, are known for their speed and creativity in the Club Rugby arena. Richard, the younger of the two, is playing at Kandy Sports Club and is also a regular member of the Sri Lanka sevens and the XVs squads while Richie is down at the Navy Sports Club, playing his rugby as the starting scrum half. He too managed to tour Malaysia with the Sri Lanka XVs recently.
- The Ariyapalas
Brothers from upcountry Iranga and Imanka Ariyapala played their schools’ rugby for Vidyartha College Kandy. Iranga played as the Wing three-quarter while Imanka played at center and they have managed to retain those positions at the Club arena as well. In the previous season both brothers played for Army Sports Club but Iranga, the older of the two, has made the switch to CH & FC this time around.
- Perera Wingers
Twins Lavanga and Oshan Perera are products of Kingswood College, Kandy and are also representing the champion outfit Kandy Sports Club. Both Oshan and Lavanga have been in and out of the Kandy starting XV but they have stuck around and are getting game time in the Club Rugby arena. Both have plenty of pace and are used in the latter part of the game as impact players who could make those destructive runs.
- The Pereras
Another Perera duo Joel and Yohan play their rugby for rival Clubs, CR & FC and CH & FC respectively. Joel, the older of the two plays as the starting XV flanker for CR & FC while Yohan is yet to secure the starting XV spot for the prop position at CH & FC. Both played their school rugby at Wesley College Colombo in the years 2013 and 2015. Joel has represented both CH & FC and Police in the past.
