Pradeep Basnayake: The pride of Trinity and Sri Lankan Rugby
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Pradeep Basnayake
The name Pradeep Basnayake better known as ‘Bassa’ is synonymous with Sri Lankan rugby. In the Central Hills, where he is a legend, Basnayake is a home grown hero who never crossed over to any club but served Kandy Sports Club with utmost dedication and loyalty during his entire playing career.
For Trinity College, he remains an icon who won the Bradby as a player, won the coveted Rugby Lion, captained Sri Lanka in Rugby and coached the 1st XV Trinity outfit to a Bradby victory. He was also a double international representing his school in the game of basketball. He later won his colours in the toughest game played on earth.
Looks are deceiving when it comes to Basnayake. Inside this giant is a gentle, unassuming and humble man. He has served the country as a double international at rugby and basketball. He represented Trinity College, Kandy during the 1994-95 season, winning his rugby colours in the initial year and Rugby ‘Lion’ in the final year, which is a dream of any rugby player at Trinity. He was selected to represent Sri Lanka at the Under-19 Junior Rugby Asiad in Hong Kong. He represented the Lions in basketball and later on represented Sri Lanka Schools team and the National Youth team in 1992.
After leaving school, it was a natural process for him to assume duties at Kandy SC, where he played for over a decade from 1996 to 2005. He led the 2002 Kandy SC side which won the triple crown, a very rare occasion these days in club rugby. He was an automatic choice in the second row position standing over six feet in height. In 2003 and 2004 he led the national team at the Rugby Asiad and Rugby World Cup Asian qualification events.
Basnayake was involved in coaching juniors at Trinity and looked after the senior team as the head coach back in 2008 and 2009 when Trinity was led by Milinda Gunawardena and Vishwajith Wijesinghe respectively.
After his playing days Basnayake was appointed as a national rugby selector and performed duties admirably from 2010 to 2013. Later he was a match commissioner at ‘A’ Division tournament games and presently holds the president’s post at Central Province Rugby Football Union (CPRFU). His last appointment was as a Council Member becoming the second player to represent two sports and become a council member after Priyantha Ekanayake.
“I am thankful to my school coaching staff such as Quinten Israel, Janaka Kiridena and Lohan Ratwatte who taught my basics in rugby. Later on at club level I got my skills tested by late George Simpkin and Rtd Senior DIG Nimal Lewke and the others. Later I was coached by C.P.P. Abeygunwardena as well. As the present head of the CPRFU I intent to develop rugby in the region and take it to the next level with technology and safe play. We want to introduce and support lesser-known schools in the region both in boys and girls segments while looking at adding more grounds and clubs,” he said.
Basnayake is a Level 2 World Rugby qualified coach who works as a Deputy General Manager (DGM) at Kanrich Finance and holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA).