Walpola - latest addition to Kandy Sports Club

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

RUGBY: CR & FC and Sri Lanka ruggerite Anuranga Walpola has joined Kandy Sports Club and will turn out for the champion hill capital club from next year.

Walpola, a utility player who could either play as a hooker, flanker or number eight was a member of the Sri Lanka squad which played in the World Cup qualifying matches last year against Thailand, Kazakhstan and Singapore and the two games this year against China and Hong Kong.

Walpola who played as number eight for CR formed a formidable third row with flankers Pavithra Fernando and Ashan Karthelis who played a key role in the success of the Longden Place club which ended runners up of the Caltex 'A' Division League Rugby Tournament.

He also played for CR in the quarter-finals of the Clifford Cup Knock-out Rugby Tournament but missed the semi-finals and finals due to an injury with the Red Shirts ending a 17-year wait by clinching club rugby's richest prize - the Clifford Cup with a smashing 37-5 win over arch rivals Havelocks in the final.

He is likely to play for the star studded Kandy SC in his pet position of hooker replacing Kandy SC's regular hooker and ex-Sri Lanka player Mohamed Anju Buksh who is likely to migrate to New Zealand early next year.