A teenager in the 8th grade was once given the invitation by one of his friends to come join the class tap rugby team for a tournament. Ever since the day he held the oval ball, his enthusiasm and love for the sport has not had an interruption.
The school in Havelock town has been the front runner in the school rugby arena over the past decade producing a number of prospective national talents and following on the foundation built by his predecessors and aiming at the top is Isuru Kongahawatte.
The schools rugby league has always stolen the spotlight when it comes to rugby in the country paving the way for top players to showcase their talents. Playing in the position of fly half for the second successive occasion Isuru Umayanga Kongahawatte has been the stand out player in the half back division this season. Having already been a part of a victorious outfit last year, Kongahawatte has stepped up in his game in his final season looking to retain the title at Isipathana mawatha.
ThePapare had the privilege of speaking with this young budding sportsman to get further insights to his life and talent.
Isuru, recalls his first thrust in to Rugby
” One of my friends called me to join his team in an inter-class tap rugby tournament when they were a person short. I had nothing to do, so I accepted the invitation and joined the team.”
Isuru says that since then, his love for the sport hasn’t stopped and that, the enthusiasm kept him going to the top.
“I first went for Under 16 practices. There I got selected to play for the team. At first I played at wing three. After playing two years in the Under 16 team, I got selected for the 1st XV squad. At first it was a tough challenge for me being the youngest in the team but I carried on…”
Being one of the youngest in the team, Isuru had his ultimate dream of wearing green for Pathana in the year 2013 when he started the first game. Wearing a jersey for the first time is any persons’ big day but playing the first encounter is always a challenge for any player.
“I made my debut in 2013 as the team’s fly half and it was a tough challenge in the first few games but I gradually got over it…”
“My first match was the Wesley match in 2013, it was a tough one, I have to say. I was under heavy pressure and conceded a try as well but I had a good set of seniors guiding and keeping me going”
Isuru mentions he owes his rugby career to all his coaches who were his mentors all throughout the past years guiding him in the right direction.
“When I first played Under 16, it was my coach Mr. Wettasinghe who motivated me to go the distance. I was only a wing-three quarter back then, but it was Shamly Nawaz who saw my talent and told me to take up duties as fly half. He was the person who pointed out my mistakes and guided me in the right direction.
Then we had Nilfer Ibrahim, Anuranga Walpola and our trainer PG Dayan. They were always with the team. They didn’t let us fall back or lose our concentration at any time”
Kongahawatte who was struggling with the boot in the early games of the season says he got over it with the help of his coaches. Isipathana despite being the top contender in the league does not possess a rugby grounds. In Isuru’s words this mainly affects kickers like him.
“I was struggling with the kicking in the first few games because of my injury and later with the help of coach Dev Anand I got my act corrected.
We still don’t have a proper rugby grounds so we get only around two or three days for kicking and we have to make the best use of it”
One of the senior men in the team at the moment, Isuru is one person who keeps his calm on the field as well as outside it. This is something unique to him as many stand off’s tend to crumble under pressurized situations.
“We work according to a game plan. There are three zones in our plans; Green zone, Red zone and the yellow zone. So we operate and carry out our plan according to that. “
Having already played two years, a very mature Kongahawatte spoke about how the senior-men stand up and act portraying themselves as an example to their juniors.
“We have to keep to our discipline to advice our youngsters. Only if we keep up to our playing and discipline that we can advise the rest. They always take us for an example so if they are to move forward we need to keep our code”
The Isipathana fan following for rugby is always a delightful sight at any game as they gather in numbers behind the side at all times. Isuru had something special to add about them.
“The fans that come are our motivation. We play our rugby for them. Win or lose we know that they will be behind us at all times. We tell them to come for our matches and they don’t disappoint us. Even if it’s a away game in Kandy, they come in numbers. That is the Isipathana spirit.”
Isuru idolizes the great Dan Carter in his everyday life where he wishes to go to greater heights in the sport someday. He elaborates that Srinath Sooriyabandara is the best half back he has ever seen in the Sri Lankan rugby format and he hints that someday he would be able to go the distance in wearing the Sri Lankan jersey.
