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A club which is making a determined bid to recapture its past glory this year is Havelocks Sports Club. The club has been strengthened by the inclusion of two top players from Tonga - No. 8 Sitaleki Mafilio and centre Tavita Kaufusi. In addition they have obtained the services of another Tongan Joseph Waka who will be turning out for the park club from this week.

The park club remain unbeaten this year having overcome Navy (19-18), Kurunegala (62-11), Kandy Youths (47-11) and Old Zahirians (102-0) and the lads from Havelock Park have been training hard during the last four weeks under the watchful eyes of former national coach Ananda Saranapala who is determined to mould them into a formidable outfit.

The park club was in the forefront of club rugby in the 1970's and 1980's but their rugby standard declined in the 1990's which resulted in the Park club being unable to win a major trophy in 15-a-side rugby since 1984 although winning the Rugby Sevens Title in 1986, 1987, 1995, 2000 and 2001.

The Park club had the honour of clinching club rugby's richest prize - the Clifford Cup five times during the eight year period from 1974 to 1981.

In 1974 Desmond Harridge's Havelocks team won the Clifford Cup with a superb 16-4 win over the formidable CR team in the final. Two years later (1976) Thajone Savanghan led the pink and chocolate jerseyed lads to the Rugby Double - the 'A' Division League and Clifford Cup by beating Navy (15-3) in the final. In 1977 the Park club led by Jeffrey de Jong bagged the Clifford Cup once again by emerging 'A' Division League champions.

In the following year Havelocks led by No. 8 Anton Benedict clinched the Triple Crown by winning the Rugby Sevens Title, Clifford Cup and the SLRFU President's Trophy by beating a gallant Kandy SC outfit (10-4) in the final.

In 1980 the park club led by Frank Hubert bagged the SLRFU President's Trophy by beating arch rivals CR and FC (12-7) in the final. In 1981 the pink and chocolate jerseyed lads led by Angelo Wickremaratne enjoyed a marvellous season. They clinched the Rugby Sevens Title, Clifford Cup and the SLRFU President's Trophy by edging out the mighty Policemen (8-6) in the final. Three years later (1984) the park club won their last major trophy in rugby by beating Police (12-6) in the final helped by a last minute try by flanker Beverly de Kauwe and a spectacular conversion by skipper M.P.F. Salley after the scores stood at 6-all a few minutes before the final whistle.

This year the Park club will be led by battle hardened prop forward Shafi Hassan, a terrific loose player who has been turning out for the club since 1998. He will bind down in the front row with Sri Lanka prop forward Dilan Ekanayake. The other players who could fit into the front row are ex-Peterite Chathuranga Amarasinghe and former Sri Lanka Youth Player Gihan Munasinghe. Two former Peterites Rajiv Perera and Janaka Fernando will battle it out for the hooker's berth.

Last year's skipper Rajiv Sornaratne and Asala Abeykoon will be the two lock forwards but they face a strong challenge from Miskin Deen and Damith Dodanwela, Siva Wanasinghe, a terrific player in the loose and a fierce tackler will fill one flanker berth while the trio fighting it out for the other position are Miskin Deen, Janaka Fernando and veteran Nishantha Bopearachchi with Tongan Sitaleki Mafilio filling the No. 8 berth.

Evergreen Leonard de Zilwa or young Mohamed Tariq will operate from the base of the scrum and will pair off with either former Antonian skipper Tikiri Dissanayake or Wesleyite Prasad Perera.

Tongan Tavita Kaufusi who is also a reliable place kicker will occupy one centre berth while the experienced Jiffrey Saheed, Ruwan Suranga, Roshan Saajith and Jason Jayasekera are in contention for the other position. Two powerful runners Lakala Perera and Asanka Muhandiramge will be manning the two wings while the last line of defence will be occupied by Sri Lanka player Lalindra Rodrigo. (R.S.)

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