Several ruggerites cross over to other clubs

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

RUGBY: Several outstanding ruggerites who played a key role in the success of their clubs last year have crossed over to other clubs and will turn out for their new clubs when the Caltex ‘A’ Division rugby season kicks off on May 18.

Sri Lanka hooker and CR’s vice captain Anuranga Walpola and Sri Lanka sevens player and CH full back Saliya Kumara have switched their allegiance to Kandy Sports Club and will turn out for the hill capital club when they come out for the first time on May 20 against the minnows of ‘A’ Division rugby Old Zahirians.

Kandy SC led by prop forward Jeewa Galgamuwa will field a virtual national team which includes a formidable pack and a superb three quarter line and will go all out to retain the Caltex ‘A’ Division League title for a record seventh successive year.

Former Sri Lanka winger Radhika Hettiarachchi who turned out for CH and FC last year along with second rower Duminda Pullikuttiarachchi have crossed over to CR and FC who have also acquired the services of former Havelocks Centre Lasintha de Costa (who played for Sri Lanka at the Hong Kong Sevens).

The Red Shirts who emerged runners up of the Caltex ‘A’ Division League and won the Clifford Cup last year will field a star studded outfit under the captaincy of lock forward Anuradha Dharmatilleke and have also obtained the services of last year’s Isipatana Skipper Ashan de Costa (who represented the Sri Lanka Sevens team) and Trinity’s Centre Kosala Tissera. The Red Shirts will take on Sri Lanka Army on May 19 at Havelock Park.

Havelocks fly half Sajith Bandara and winger Lakala Perera have joined CH and FC and will turn out for the Maitland Crescent Club this season. Bandara excelled for the park club last year and was a reliable place kicker who kicked them to a famous 9-5 win over arch rivals CR and FC in the return match at Havelock Park dashing the hopes of the Red Shirts of clinching the League Title.

Incidentally CH and FC will confront Air Force in the curtain raiser of the League Tournament on May 18 at Maitland Crescent.

The lads from Maitland Crescent who finished third in the ‘A’ Division League last year will field another formidable team this year led by Sri Lanka flanker Dilanka Wijesekera.

The forte of CH and FC will be their powerful forwards which includes six national players in skipper Wijesekera, prop forward Jayantha Ranaweera, No. 8 Rajiv Ganapathy, lock forward Dilan Sanjeewa, prop forward Nilan Ekanayake and flanker Sumedha Malewana with the back division too strengthened by the presence of Fijian Centre Jimmy Bolokoro who is eligible to play for the club as a non national player under IRB rules.

The Airmen who finished second in the segment two of the Caltex ‘A’ Division League last year came up with a fine display in the Clifford Cup semi-finals in which they went down fighting to eventual winners CR and FC after leading at the breather and also finished runners up to CR in the Second Leg of the Singer Professional Sevens at Ratgama.

The Airmen will be led by second rower Pradeep Kurukulasuriya and will have an experienced side which includes forwards Saumya Silva, Kosala Ranasinghe, Tharaka Chandimal, Pathum Ediriweera and Prasanna Soysa. The back division will have seasoned campaigners Ajit Herath, Nalin Sirisena, Rohan Fernando and Sri Lanka poolist Suranga Arunashantha and should give the Maitland Crescent club a close run.