For the ardent followers of local rugby gathered at the awards ceremony for the Caltex rugby league, the presentation of the Most Outstanding Player trophy to Kandy SC fly-half Fazil Marija came as no major surprise. Both during last season as well as all his previous seasons Fazil has served as an indispensable component for the club’s continued dominance.
Fazil Marija an indispensable component for Kandy SC. |
To be regarded as the best player in a sport which rivals cricket in its popularity here in Sri Lanka is for Fazil “a great honour and a dream come true.” It is also payment for all the hard work and dedication that went into his rugby.
“Right now I am playing some very good rugby, but I am trying to improve and reach peak form. Recently I went to South Africa and learned several drills to improve many of my skills such as my kicking technique,” Fazil revealed.
Fazil also credits his grueling fitness regime, which consists of punishing field practices along with regular weight training, for much of his continued success.
This work ethic was an aspect drilled into him from the time he was a promising star at Kingswood College and it was to prove decisive in propelling him into both the National and Kandy teams at the tender age of 18.
“I remember my first three matches for Kandy came in the Clifford Cup. They were the quarters, semis and finals. I was very scared and followed everything the players told me to do,” recollects Fazil.
His role as a follower has changed considerably since his debut for the club in 2003 and during the past few years he has matured into the talisman player of the team who is the central vein through which all tactical play and strategy flows.
Asked why he chose Kandy out of all the other possible clubs that would have been more than willing to take him, he replies, “It was an easy choice for me, because it was always my dream to play for Kandy.”
He advises all budding ruggerites with aspirations of making it big on a local and eventually international platform to stick to two basic principles: think positive and train hard.
Fazil sees the popularity of rugby in this country continuing to grow steadily due to the nature of the sport itself. It is nearly one and a half hours of non stop, full contact, thrilling action, a recipe that will continue to draw sizable crowds in the years to come. This bodes well for him in the long run because it offers him the chance of gradually getting involved in the administrative aspect of the sport.
“I want to do a lot of things after I have finished playing rugby. I would like to get involved in the administration and also to coach and help school teams,” Fazil reveals.
Right now though he is enjoying representing Kandy and the country unhindered, thanks mainly to the support of both the club as well as his employers who make it as easy as possible for him to train.
Asked whether in a few years time he will harbour any thoughts of perhaps taking his game abroad to represent foreign clubs, he smiles and good naturedly responds, “If I’m not playing rugby for Kandy I don’t think I will continue playing rugby.”
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