“Your school and your country is in your blood (but not your club: implied)” famously said by the late Mr. Mahesa Rodrigo. We, who have had the good fortune of walking in and out of the hallowed Boake Gates of Rajakeeya Mawatha will know that truer words have never been spoken, for our blood is but blue & gold.
At Royal they don’t teach; they educate. The school song sing to us, ”we will learn of books, learn of men, and learn to play the game”. Here, “learn to play the game” does not refer to sports, but the game of life. A ‘test’ match that will last a tad more than five days, before stumps are drawn. Bleeding blue & gold, all the way.
If Royal gave us the path to be a doctor, lawyer, scientist, entrepreneur, or any other profession of our choice, it also gave us a value system born of valor. It gave us a kinship, a tradition. A kinship bound by blue & gold, a tradition bound by camaraderie. A kinship and a tradition born within the hallowed Boake Gates, and spread to lands as far away as Australia and Argentina. A spirit born with the sharing of a sandwich under the Siyambala tree, re-lived sharing a beer with a mate at the WACA.
Our alma-mater was the bow which set us forth; and as destiny would have it, we have all traveled far to settle in Western Australia (WA). We all share two commonalities; we are the products of a single mold, and we now live in Western Australia (WA). So let us all glow blue & gold in all we do, the values we treasure, and the camaraderie we share. Thank you Mr. Mahesa Rodrigo, Sir, for your words of perspective. Rest assured Sir, our blood is blue & gold.
The Royal spirit is hard to describe
As if we are from of a single tribe
Indeed, the products of a solitary mold
Our blood is but blue & gold
The late Mr. Mahesa Rodrigo (popularly known as Mahes Rodrigo) was the first to captain Royal at both rugby and cricket in the same year (1946). Chanaka Perera is the only other person to repeat this remarkable feat (1998). The late Mr. Rodrigo later captained Sri Lanka (All Ceylon) also in rugby. He also coached Royal in both rugby and cricket. To date, he is not only regarded as one of the finest sportsman Royal ever produced but was an eminent personality in sports circles.
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