Nittawela_rugby_stadium
Nittawela Rugby Stadium is a purpose-built rugby union stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is one of Sri Lanka's most famous rugby venues.
| Location | Nittawela, Kandy, Sri Lanka |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 7°18′59″N 80°38′03″E |
| Owner | Kandy SC |
| Operator | Kandy SC |
| Type | Stadium |
| Genre(s) | Sporting Events |
| Capacity | 25,000 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1949 |
| Opened | 1954 |
| Tenants | |
| Kandy SC | |
Kandy Sports Club's original home ground was Bogambara Stadium until in 1939 the British Colonial Army took it over during the Second World War.[1] The grounds were subsequently handed over to the General Hospital to house their offices. Kandy SC however continued to play rugby at Bogambara but without a club house. In 1949 the Kandy Municipal Council resolved to provide the club with an area of land, a landfill site, at Nittawela.[1] The preparation of the site took approximately five years and it wasn't until 1954 that Nittawela became the permanent home ground for Kandy SC.[2]
In 1992 the gradient towards the entrance was levelled and a new pavilion was constructed, this was followed by the construction of the Central Finance grandstand and a pavilion named after Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa. In 2004 a further two stands were constructed and were named after two former players Priyantha Ekanayake and Nalaka Weerakkody. A media pavilion has also been constructed and is named after former club captain, Indrajith Bandaranaike.
- Jaleel, Shamseer (24 August 2011). "Kandy dominate local rugby scene". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
- de Joodt, Ken (5 December 2013). "A Historic Kandy Sports Club". Retrieved 9 March 2015.