Walpola to coach S. Thomas’ rugby in 2024

Former Isipathana College, CR and FC, Kandy SC and National 15-A-Side player, Anuranga Walpola has been appointed as the Head Coach of S. Thomas’ College rugby for the 2024 Inter-Schools season.

Walpola played for the ‘Green Shirts’ from 1999 to 2002 leading the outfit in his last year. He toured with the Sri Lanka Under-19 outfit for the Junior Rugby Asiad in Japan and later in 2001 he toured Chile for the Junior Rugby World Cup.

He turned out for the ‘Red Shirts’ from 2003 to 2006 before crossing over to Kandy SC and played for six more years ending his club career in 2012.

He toured with the national teams for more than a decade till 2013 touring all the Asian countries plus UAE during his splendid career.

He started his coaching career with the D.S. Senanayake College Under-13 Team and later was a Forwards Coach at Isipathana before taking over the Under-16 outfit at his alma-mater.

From 2017 to 2019 he was the Assistant Coach at St. Joseph’s College. He took over the forwards coaching job at D.S. Senanayake the following year and came back to join Zahira as the Head Coach in his last stint. (Shamseer Jaleel)