Three defeats. Two shock draws. And a power shift that has left Sri Lankan rugby fans asking how the once-untouchable Kandy machine finally stalled.
For almost thirty years, Kandy Sports Club stood as the undisputed powerhouse of Sri Lankan domestic rugby. From the mid-1990s onward, league championships and Clifford Cup triumphs became almost habitual. Teams travelling to Nittawela did so knowing that history and often the final whistle, rarely tilted in their favour.
This season, however, that narrative has been rewritten.
CR & FC, the Red Shirts, defeated Kandy three times in the same league campaign, stripping away an aura that had endured for decades. To compound the shock, Kandy were also held to two unexpected draws in both legs against CH & FC. For a side once regarded as virtually untouchable, those results signaled that the fortress walls were no longer intact.
The Great Player Migration
The emotional weight of this dethroning traces back to the early 1990s. That was when Malik Samarawickrama, formerly a prominent figure at CR & FC, shifted allegiances and played a key role in transforming Kandy SC into a professional force.
During that era, Kandy successfully attracted and recruited several of CR’s leading players to the central hills, consolidating their grip on domestic rugby. Names such as Imthi Marikkar, Priyantha Ekanayake, Saliya Kumara, Nalaka Weerakkody, Dhanusha Chathuranga, Sumedha Jayasinghe and Radhika Hettiarachchi, followed later by high-profile figures including Fazil Marija, Senaka Batagoda, Nigel Ratwatte and Tharinda Ratwatte, became central to Kandy’s dominance after moving from Colombo rugby circles.
The approach was structured and deliberate: secure employment, competitive remuneration and long-term stability that few rival clubs could match. Some took off to the central hills with gay abandon, knowing they would be financially secure. Many have since prospered, going on to own houses, apartments and automobiles, though questions have occasionally been raised as to whether such rewards were purely for performances on the rugby field or whether, in some instances, personal integrity may have been compromised.
The formula nevertheless delivered extraordinary success.
Kandy SC evolved into the benchmark club in Sri Lanka, producing national captains, sevens standouts and championship-winning squads. For nearly three decades, the system appeared unbreakable.
Until now.
CR Strike Back
This season, CR & FC displayed sharper tactical execution and clinical finishing under pressure. Kandy, once feared for their physical intensity and ability to close out games, appeared vulnerable at critical moments. The psychological balance shifted.
Three consecutive league defeats to CR were not anomalies, they marked a decisive shift in power.
A New Chapter
For decades, Kandy SC set the standard. This season, CR & FC have claimed that mantle.
Sporting dynasties rarely end abruptly; they erode gradually, match by match. In 2026, the Red Shirts delivered the defining blows.
And as the rugby fraternity reflects on a season few predicted, one line echoes through clubhouses and conversations alike:
“Aiyo Malik… WTF happened machang?”
Off-Field Power Plays
Beyond the field, administrative developments have also drawn attention.
The current President of Sri Lanka Rugby, Pavithra Fernando, despite continuing questions regarding the legitimacy of his election, ensured that the league commenced without interruption. Institutional backing was reportedly secured, including early support from Defense Secretary Air Vice Marshal (Rtd) Sampath Thuyacontha. That backing was said to have been influenced by senior Group Captain and former SLR Secretary and interim President Nalin De Silva, who also at a certain phase acted as a point of contact to the Ministry of Sports during SLR’s suspension. Observers widely believe that crucial Tri-Forces votes played a decisive role in Pavithra Fernando’s victory in what was described as a controversial presidential election.
Subsequently, Thuyacontha was offered the position of Chairman of the Sri Lanka Rugby Foundation, a development that drew mixed reactions. Critics contended that the appointment blurred the boundaries between governance and patronage, with some even characterizing it as a form of inducement or even accepting of a bribe. Others, however, maintained that it was simply recognition of the institutional support extended during the election period.
It is widely noted that former Air Force personnel now appear to exercise considerable influence within rugby administration. Most recently, Sanjaya Fernando, a former airman and brother of former Referees’ Society President Dilroy Fernando, was elected President of the Sri Lanka Society of Rugby Football Referees. Once again, decisive Tri-Forces votes are believed to have played a pivotal role in securing his victory. There were also murmurs that representatives from Navy SC and Army SC were hesitant to defy instructions from senior authorities, amid fears of transfers if they voted for the opposing candidate, Anil Jayasinghe.
At the same time, questions have been raised regarding Fernando’s experience at the top level of officiating. Several individuals contacted by The Morning Telegraph said they could not recall him refereeing any major or high-profile matches, with some suggesting that his practical experience may have been limited to a handful of Under-15 school fixtures.
In rugby administration, perception can carry as much weight as performance.
