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CH rugby jersey a springboard for a better future -Hassan
By Bernie Wijesekera
CH and FC - the century - old rugby club has a has a tradition for rugby in the past with some outstanding foreign and local players playing for the country. On the past it was an exclusive club. But today the doors are open to all to indulge in various disciplines said Iqbal Hassen the chairman of the Gymkhana club (CH and FC) at a media briefing pertaining to the LG Abans Ltd., sponsored package for rugby for the second successive year held at its boardroom.

Vice-chairman Shammi Silva, Ananda Cooray secretary, chairman rugby Ranjan Kanagasabai, Channa Pathirana General Manager and Dhammika Prasanna Deputy General Manager Abans Ltd associated Chairman Hassan at this meeting.

Iqbal said, "today rugby is virtually a professional sport and it needs big money for its smooth running. Some of the players in the scrum are drown from the rural districts. Their needs had to be looked into including accommodation. It cost money. The club can't sustain merely on the gate alone. It needs sponsorship.

The club is grateful for LG Abans, an internationally famed firm for electronics coming forward to support CH rugby. Last year we didn't let them down, but emerged runners-up in the league. In the ongoing season the club has lost four key players three of them gone abroad, but with a well -drilled rugby structure handled by Grahame Raux (coach) and the rugby committee with their professional administration will be in the running, of course aided and abetted by Abans.

The youth players are determined to play hard and open rugby. Donning the CH jersey will be a springboard for their future betterment said Hassan. The team will be sandwiched by four foreign players to add much flavour to the pack.

In the past CH had foreign players of class the likes of Simon and Apasai Nagata. The locals of the calibre of Shan Perera, Hisham Abdeen and Lorensz Pereira, S. African John Arenhold (who played cricket and rugby for Sri Lanka) Mike Davies, John Burrows etc.

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