P. L. Munasinghe

Priyaraj Lakmal Munasinghe, (also known as PL) is a Sri Lankan rugby player.

Centre Three-quarters PL Munasinghe, Wilhelm Bogstra in support as wing three quarter Devaka Fernando collects a grubber during The Royal Thomian Rugby Match 1975.

Priyaraj Lakmal Munasinghe
NationalitySri Lankan
Occupation(s)Accountant, company executive
Known forRugby Centre Three quarter

Education

Munasinghe was educated at S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia Sri Lanka, where as Head Prefect he was awarded the Victoria Jubilee Gold Medal, winning colours in rugby and athletics. He played in the rugby first XV in 1973, 1974, captained the school in 1975, and played in 1976. He placed second in the under-19 100 metres (described in the school magazine by athletics captain WR Gunasena as a "lion hearted run") at the Public Schools Athletics meet in 1974 and was part of a successful 4x100 metres relay team.[1]

The Royal Thomian Rugby Match 1975

Under his leadership at the Royal Thomian rugby match in July 1975, his team came from behind to beat the favourites 8–3[2] to win the Michael Gunaratne Trophy. Sharm De Alwis has described his two tries as a "spectacular sensation" where he "sliced through the entire defence to score under the posts" not once but twice (it must be assumed that he sidestepped and cut inside, as De Alwis refers to him paralysing the opposing stand off - also referred to as fly half or No 10).[3][4][5]

Leading from the front he not only scored the two match winning tries but marshalled a defence which the Ceylon Daily Mirror described as:

the virtual stone wall erected by the Thomian back division who tackled as if their life depended on it. Particularly impressive in this department was full back (Shane) Pinder, skipper Munasinghe and wing three quarter Devaka Fernando who tackled their opponents to a virtual standstill.",[6][7] Mahesa Abeynayake describes their team spirit.[8]

Club and National Rugby

Munasinghe went on to captain the Sri Lanka schools against the Combined clubs side and subsequently represented Havelock Sports Club and Sri Lanka.[9][10] Munasinghe has been listed among the best three quarters to play rugby between 1968 and 1982.[11] His career was cut short by a knee injury during a practice game.[12]

Professional

Munasinghe is a chartered accountant, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK).

He was a director in Carpenters Fiji Ltd[13] and is currently chief executive officer of Courts (Fiji) Ltd.[14][15][16] In November 2016 he was listed as the chairman of the Water Authority of Fiji.[17]

References
  1. S Thomas College School Magazines Term 2 and Term 3 1974, Term 2 and 3 1975
  2. Ceylon Daily News Lake House Newspapers 12 July 1975
  3. http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/06/27/a-brief-overview-of-thomian-rugby/ Sharm De Alwis A brief overview of Thomian rugby, accessed 28 May 2011
  4. http://sundaytimes.lk/040620/sports/4.html ' Havies rugby has hit a new low' – By Bernie Wijesekera, accessed 26 November 2011
  5. "Online edition of Daily News - Sports". Archived from the original on 26 January 2005. Retrieved 27 November 2011. Royal-Thomian clash for Guneratne Trophy on 26 July Tuesday, Daily News on line 22 July 2003, accessed 26 November 2011
  6. Daily Mirror 12 July 1975
  7. http://www.island.lk/2007/06/16/sports3.html Reminiscing Royal – Thomian annual rugby clash by Rukshan Razak, accessed 26 November 2011
  8. https://mahesaabey.wordpress.com/2013/08/16/the-glory-days-of-st-thomas-rugby/ The Glory days of Thomian Rugby Mahesa Abeynayake , accessed 26 November 2013
  9. http://www.tops.lk/article4108-when-the-thomians-let-loose-dogs-of-war.html 'When the Thomians 'let loose the dogs of war' – Courtesy: DailyNewsPosted on Wednesday, 20 May 2009 @ 10:33:44 LKT by SaNDun, accessed 26 November 2011
  10. "Sri Lanka's Number one Sports Website – www.thepapare.com - A Brief Overview of Thomian Rugby History". Archived from the original on 9 March 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  11. http://www.island.lk/2008/06/03/sports6.html , Rugby supermen 1968 – 1982 Rohan Muttiah Island on line
  12. http://www.dailynews.lk/2005/11/05/spo09.htm Archived 21 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Four rugby super heroes BY SHARM de Alwis Ceylon Daily News 5 November 2005
  13. "Carpenters Fiji Pte Limited – over 150 Years of Trading in Fiji".
  14. http://www.fijisun.com.fj/main_page/view.asp?id=54353 The Sun Courts names new CEO accessed 28 May 2011
  15. http://www.fijisun.com.fj/main_page/view.asp?id=54509 Courts welcomes new CEO writer : KERESI NAUWAKARAWA 24 March 2011 accessed 28 May 2011
  16. https://www.courts.com.fj/about-us/executive-directors.html Archived 21 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine PL Munasinghe Chief Executive Officer1 accessed 28 November 2011
  17. "WAF Board Members". waterauthority.com. Water Authority of Fiji. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
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