As an emerging rugby player from Science College Lasindu Ishan has been outstanding representing not only his school but the country as a part of the U 18 national side. ThePapare.com met up with Lasindu to speak about his experiences and thoughts on being an integral part of the schools rugby.
How did you step into rugby?
My father was a rugby as well as football player for the school. That got me interested in joining either of the sports early on. With the support from my dad I started playing rugby at the 5th grade. I was part of the Under 11 rugby team at the age of 12. It was a quick step in and since then I continued to advance in the game.
What were your plans for the sport early on?
I always wanted to represent the national team, wear the national jersey and be a professional rugby player. Since my dad was involved in the sport I had a lot of support from my family. They always taught me to dream big. However, I was certain I’ll be able to make it to the first 15 and bring in pride to school. Mostly my early representation of under 11 team gave me this hope.
Who is the inspiration behind your rugby?
Well my parents were behind me all the time. Apart from that I didn’t have a major inspiration looking at someone playing rugby; however, our coach Amila Chathuranga pushed me to perform my best. So his immense support and training was an inspiration from the early days. Even team players kept me ahead of the game with the bond. In addition I personally like Bilal Hassan’s playing.
How do you describe the current season?
We kicked off the season very well. As in it was a combination of training and playing. Then the problem struck with players getting injured in the process. Some continued to play with the injuries and weren’t able to attend practices thereafter. It was series of mistakes and some had to sit out of the season.
What are the feelings and emotions when you wear the college jersey?
First time I wore jersey was in the 9th grade, when I was able to represent the first XV. Since then I’ve enjoyed every moment I wore the school jersey. I’ve been representing the first XV all the way. In my first match I was on the bench but it felt quite an achievement to be part of the senior team at a very young age. Honestly that feeling kept me motivated for a long time; I felt that my rugby life had officially started. Growing up I dreamt about this moment, since we are the only students who can wear a jersey and play together in school.
You already played Sri Lanka U18 last year, how did that feel?
Firstly I’d like to mention that being part of the under 18 team was a great experience to me; it gave me exposure into international rugby as well as to the national standards of the game. I also had to undergo lot of additional training to make it to the team. Now I’m aware of the competition I’ll face in my rugby career; I was able to practice with playesr from all over the country – from Colombo to Kandy. So with this knowledge I’m definitely optimistic I’ll be able to become a professional rugby player representing Sri Lanka. It is just a matter of working hard towards that goal.
What is your most memorable moment in rugby?
We were the Under 18 cup finalist in 2012. It was a much anticipated game and is an unforgettable moment so far. Also the international tour as a whole was a very enjoyable and a memorable.
What did you learn from your experience in this tour?
I feel that Sri Lankan rugby needs to be more prioritized for us to gain international recognition. In many countries the game is played in professional level. So their life revolves around the game. If we can make that change, where one can play rugby and earn a living through that it will be a very important improvement.
What is your daily program?
I never miss school. So I always make it a point to attend classes and then head to practices. The gym sessions will take place before the practices. Usually I practice rugby on a daily basis.
How do you manage your studies and rugby?
Well from young days I was told one needs to get through O/L s to continue in professional rugby. So I took studies seriously. Most of the time my priority wasn’t studies but I paid enough attention to fare well in class as an average student. In addition I also like to note that I got enormous support from my teachers with special attention to the lessons I missed.
How do you prepare yourself prior to the match?
For starters I never underestimate my opponents. So I practice my level best regardless of the reputation the team I face has. In my opinion if I perform the best it will be an addition to my rugby life. So with no prior impression about the team I prepare myself best before any match.
Is there any special people you want to acknowledge?
My parents were very keen on my involvement in the game, specially my father. Even my mum never had second thoughts about me playing rugby. They got personalized tutoring for my missing lessons and helped me to keep ahead of the game. I don’t think I would have achieved this success if not for them. And in the game Amila Chanthuranga was behind me from young days training to achieve this success. Finally I’d like to thank my teachers as well who have been there for me to manage the game with studies.
ThePapare wishes Lasindu the very best.
