Royal’s memorable Rugby excursion in the land of All Blacks
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Bonsa's son, Lehan Gunaratne, presents Bruce Cameron, his father's team mate at Royal, a memento
Royal’s senior rugby squad returned to Sri Lanka this week after a tour to Auckland, New Zealand. Besides playing two games against Rangitoto and Kings’ Colleges, the other highlights of the tour were the exclusive session with former All Blacks head coach Graham Henry and the opportunity to watch the All Blacks-Springboks game live at the OBE Stadium, Albany.
There was also another very special moment during the tour. Bruce Cameron, a New Zealander who played in the all-conquering Royal rugby team of 1988, was presented with a memento by Lehan Gunaratne, son of the captain of the Royal rugby team of ’88, Lasitha ‘Bonsa’ Gunaratne. Bruce (6’3”) played for Royal as a centre, while he was here on an AFS programme. He has the rare distinction of scoring tries in both legs of the Bradby Shield. Bruce is the only Kiwi to have played for Royal. Lasitha Gunaratne’s son, Lehan, was one of the youngest members of the touring squad.
Though it is common for champion sports teams to be rewarded with foreign trips, tours to far-away lands such as New Zealand are rare. The Royal Rugby Advisory Committee, headed by Rohantha Peris, must be credited for its efforts to make this tour a reality.Two others who worked selflessly for the benefit of this tour were Ravi Wijenathan and Prof Murali Mahadevan. The former is a member of the Royal Rugby Advisory Committee, while Prof Mahadevan, Royal basketball captain of 1981 and a triple coloursman (basketball, athletics, and water-polo), is now domiciled in Auckland.
But here-in-lie the story in this story; a great bunch of Trinitians domiciled in Auckland also came forward to lend an invaluable hand. The Trinity effort was spearheaded by Raj Joseph, whose contributions to make this tour happen, were second to none. In fact, a grand dinner event was organised entirely by the Trinity group, in honour of the touring Royal team. Humble and magnanimous as they are, instead of calling it “Dinner hosted by Trinity”, they just coined it “The Bradby Dinner”.
But then again, given that Royal and Trinity have been playing rugby against each other since 1920 (though the Bradby Series commenced in 1945), it is hardly surprising that these two schools and this great game has formed friendships, values, traditions, and a camaraderie that has lasted – not decades – but almost a century.
Another example of this camaraderie was when the Trinity College Principal of 1999-2003 period, the late Prof Warren Breckenridge announced in 2003 at the Old Royalists’ Rugby Dinner that it would be the last occasion that he’s attending the dinner as he was retiring soon-after. No sooner this announcement was made, the congregation, consisting entirely of former Royal rugby payers, stood and sang the Trinity anthem (chorus only) in his honour (the Old Royalists’ Rugby Dinner is held every year on the night before the Colombo-leg of the Bradby Shield, and other than former Royal rugby players who attend, few others such as the Principal of Trinity, and the President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union are invited as special guest).
Sadly, some incidents which have occurred in relation to the Bradby Shield encounters within last few years are best forgotten. Really, less spoken of them, the better. Suffice to say that all those involved with these two schools and this great game of ours would do well to note that there is a bigger value system and a kinship which transcend the importance of winning a match.
The 1988 Royal College team at the Trinity College Chapel
When you play the running game…
There’s a spirit in you, real words cannot describe
As if you have descended from some legendry tribe
A kinship, a tradition, as in days so long since past
The crusades of nights in armour, and the men before the mast
There’s a thrill you come to appreciate
A pride you cannot tell
And when you wear your colours jumper
You wear it really well
When you’re marked before the forwards rush
So do in turn the tide
When you make that vital tackle
And the line is open wide
When you go down on the rolling ball
And dare the tramping feet
Then you lift your aching body
And the opposition meet
When you burst away from tackles
And make the winning run
Then you come back hard and thumping
And your team-mates say “well-done”
And it’s not just the winning or the scoring or the cheers
It’s the friendships and memories that last through the years
It’s the camaraderie born of valour, and not of fame
It’s the sheer exhilaration of playing the running game
- Unknown