Allaam Ousman salutes the remarkable feats of a rugby star spanning across two nations

POCKET DYNAMO

Roger Rodrigo recalls his dazzling rugby football journey of four decades – from Sri Lanka to the Arabian Gulf

Roger Rodrigo’s story is one of remarkable dedication and achievement, spanning across two nations and nearly four decades of rugby excellence. From humble beginnings at Isipathana College, he embarked on a journey that led him to represent both Sri Lanka and the Arabian Gulf in the sport he loves.

“I started playing rugby in 1976, beginning at Isipathana in the under 9s. I went on to captain the under 9, 13, 15 and 17, and second XV College teams. In my final year in 1983, I captained the first XV team,” Rodrigo recalls with pride, as he discusses how his love affair with rugby began.

 

Rodrigo’s biggest inspiration was his elder brother Ronald, a legendary scrum half who played for St. Peter’s College, Havelock Sports Club and Sri Lanka. Roger’s first cousin Michael Jayasekera, a former Sri Lanka centre, was another; and as his career progressed to the international level, he looked up to Wallaby great Nick Farr-Jones.

A pocket-sized dynamo, Rodrigo could combine the guile of Fijian legend Waisale Serevi and the goose stepping runs of Wallaby winger David Campese (against whom he played in the Dubai 7s).

Having represented Havelocks as a schoolboy and the Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club (CR & FC), his career took off when he joined the Sri Lanka Police Sports Club (Police SC) in 1984. From 1984 to 1989, he played for Police. Rodrigo also represented Sri Lanka in both the XVs and sevens formats including the Hong Kong Sevens.

Rodrigo cherishes the time he played for Police SC, being a vital cog in the juggernaut that proved invincible in the domestic arena.

“I really enjoyed playing rugby with them. We had a lovely bunch of boys and everyone played as one team. It was the team spirit that made us bond together. That’s why we did well in the league and won all the trophies. We had a good side but having that is useless if we don’t bond,” he says.

Rodrigo adds: “We had some lovely coaches – I won’t forget Anton Benedict, the late Daya Jayasundara and Upali Vithanage.”

Another turning point in his stellar career was moving to Dubai in 1989. “My first year with the Dubai Exiles Rugby Club was marked by playing in the Dubai 7s,” he says. He went on to win the ‘Player of the Tournament’ title twice.

Rodrigo had the honour of representing the Arabian Gulf union team, becoming the only Sri Lankan to play for two nations. “I also played against Sri Lanka in Hong Kong, where we unfortunately defeated them,” Rodrigo recalls wryly.

Having played for the Exiles for 10 years, Rodrigo – who was President of the Lanka Lions in 2000 – paused to form the Lanka Lions rugby team in the UAE: “I captained and coached the team. By 2002/03, I had brought them up to play in the Gulf League after winning in the Social of the Dubai 7s.”

Remarkably, Rodrigo played in the Dubai 7s for 28 consecutive years – the first in 1988 with Sri Lanka where the late Chandrishan Perera was Player of the Tournament.

Reflecting on his career, he’s proud of the moments that epitomise sportsmanship and integrity such as his refusal to play against the Police SC. He did not desert them when Dubai Exiles Chairman Robert Hughes offered him a job to stay while touring with the Sri Lankan side in Dubai in 1988.

“I’m not a person who goes from club to club. I had so many offers when I was playing for the Police SC. I wanted to finish the season first so I promised to come in 1989,” Rodrigo explains.

When asked whether he faced challenges in transitioning from Sri Lanka to play in Dubai, he says: “I thought I might have a problem because I was playing with expats but they accepted me. That’s because we played good rugby in Sri Lanka.”

On how rugby has evolved from his day to the present, Rodrigo observes: “Rugby has become more physical now. It’s not played for enjoyment anymore – at least from what I can see in Sri Lanka. It’s become a ‘must-win’ game driven by sponsors and money.”

To aspiring young athletes, he urges balance and enjoyment in their pursuit of excellence: “What I like to tell schoolboys is that they’re overdoing it. The coaches are pushing them too hard and it’s killing them.”

He continues: “When I trained, we only did so three times a week in the mornings and evenings. But today, it’s from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and then again from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. That’s too much for a schoolboy.”

“My advice to coaches is simple: don’t push so hard. Let them enjoy the game,” says Rodrigo.