Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club’s golden year of rugby was 2014, when they tasted the pinnacle of Lankan rugby glory after being crowned unbeaten league champions by dethroning Kandy Sports Club and putting an end to the latter’s decade-long long reign.
Navy SC also went on to win the Clifford Cup Knockouts the same year. But that was it for Navy SC; this was the first and only time the Sailors clinched league silverware and the prestigious Clifford Cup in their rugby history.
This year the Navy lads are led by battle-hardened former Josephian forward Stephan Gregory. However, due to unfortunate injury concerns mid-season, former skipper Thilina Weerasinghe will act as the stand-in Captain.
Kicking specialist Weerasinghe brings a wealth of experience, from marshalling the Sailors for many years to representing the national Tuskers outfit. Taking up Head Coach duties is Sumedha Malawana, who once donned the Sailors’ jersey and played at the top level for Sri Lanka.
Players of the likes of Malcolm Marshall, Lt. Abdus Kuthus Doray, Rear Admiral A.W.H. Perera, and Commander Asoka Weerasekera stand as doyens who fashioned Navy rugby in the 1960s.
The turning point came in 1975 when Navy won the ‘B’ Division title under Irshad Bin Ali. They were coached by Percy Perera, fondly known as ‘Penalty Perera.’
That team had many formidable players such as Brian Van Heer, Ilex Perera, Ramanayake, Bin Galiph, Tom Halideen, boxer Somapala Perera, and P.L.B. Nandasiri, who hailed from Tangalle and went on to become a top-class ruggerite despite never having seen a rugby ball before joining the Navy outfit.
It was in 1975 that Navy set foot in the top league (‘A’ Division) for the first time under the captaincy of Nandasiri and played their opening fixture against Havelock SC, narrowly losing 13-9.
In 1976 the Sailors savoured their first grand final (Clifford Cup) under Ilex Perera, losing again to Havelocks 15-3. In 1989, they ended up as runners-up to CR & FC in the same tournament.
It took two decades for Navy SC to be featured in a final again. However, they once again ended up as second-best to Kandy in 2010 and 2011.
It has been a couple of seasons to forget for the lads from Welisara as they landed at the bottom of the table during 2022-2024 and have been battered by some extremely close calls as well as heartbreaking losses.
Meanwhile, Navy SC Rugby Manager Lieutenant Commander Vishwajith Marasinghe is set to bid adieu to his duties with the Sailors following the end of the season as he will be retiring this year after completing 20 years of service with the Sri Lanka Navy.