Club Spotlight: CR&FC eyeing the big prize

09 Dec 2025 | By Muaard Razick

After a quarter century wait, the glamour boys of Colombo, the Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club (CR&FC) tasted league championship glory in the 2023/24 season which finally broke the long last dominance of the ever so strong Kandy Sports Club. However the ‘Red Shirts’ dream run was short lived as the lads from the hill capital regained the trophy last season with CR dropping to third place in the league race. They ended as runners-up to Kandy in a tense final at Nittawela in the Clifford Cup Knockouts.  

Having won 12 League titles, the lads in red are determined to chase the next title with a well rounded team with immense experience and fresh talent. 

In their last encounter this season, CR led by utility forward Lasindu Karunathilake secured a 19-0 victory over Army SC at Panagoda on Friday (21) before the match was called off at half time by referee Raveen Alexander due to heavy rain accompanied with lightning. In their season opener against Siri Lions at Longden Place with youngster Aaron Corera’s hat-trick heroics, a comfortable win saw CR backing up their 65-8 triumph at home and so far the Dushanth Lewke-coached team has recorded 14 tries with seven of them being converted.

The team captained by former Science College and Havelocks powerhouse Lasindu ‘kara’ Karunathilake, CR&FC boasts of sublime talent this season and is tipped to go all out as front runners in the championship race. The ever reliable Mursheed Zubair Doray will continue as Vice Captain of CR where his late father Zubair Doray and late uncle Farcy Doray played in.

The Red Shirts have retained almost all of their coaching and technical staff. Championship winning coach in both club and school arena Dushanth Lewke as Head Coach brings in a wealth of knowledge in his 6th season guiding his old club. Played for Kandy SC and CR&FC during his playing days, he went onto captain the reds and represented Sri Lanka and donned the tuskers jersey as a brilliant loose forward. Lewke won the Schools’ Rugby League in his maiden season at the helm, taking Royal College to victory in 2018 and retaining the title in 2019 and of course winning the prestigious Bradby Shield as well.

Rugby Director and Team Manager Rohan Chinthaka Fondly known as Nana in the rugby circle, Rohan Chinthaka is a former national player who is an integral part of the Longden Place Club. He was Manager for a decade starting in 2003 and later went on to become the High Performance Manager of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR).

Suhiru Anthony the man who led CR to break the league drought in 2024 as captain of the champion team returns to the setup as Forwards Coach adding immense value to the outfit. Veteran Ajith Silva will carry forward his duties as Kicking Coach and former CR skipper Lasindu de Costa is the Backs Coach. Vishwamithra Jayasinghe one of the most feared speedsters Sri Lanka has produced returns to rugby as the Strength and Conditioning coach at Longden Place.

Brief History of CR&FC

The Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club was founded on 25 September 1922 by Colonel Ernest Henley Joseph. It was the first rugby-only sporting organisation in the country at the time. It had its roots in the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC), and depended on NCC and Havelock Sports Club for practices and matches during its first four years. 

The club colours are those of the Ceylon Artillery Volunteer Corps, which was commanded by Col. Joseph. He insisted that the club colours should be the artillery red and blue, and subsequently persuaded the general committee. Hence the famed name Red Shirts was etched by the supporters.

Prominent figures in Sri Lankan society participated in the committee at the inaugural Annual General Meeting in 1923, including members of the Schokman, Rockwood, Saravanamutthu, Weinman, and Ondatjie families. The first captain was L. O. Weinman, and the vice-captain was Rajah Hewavitharana.

•Courtesy from www.themorning.lk

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