Can CH survive Army’s fire-power tomorrow?

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

RUGBY: Can CH and FC survive Army’s fire-power? The answer to this question will be found only tomorrow evening when these two teams clash in their Caltex ‘A’ Division League second round match at Maitland Crescent.

The soldiers are in a buoyant mood after three smashing wins over Air Force (24-7) Police (28-18) and Old Zahirians (48-7) and should give the formidable CH and FC a run for their money.

The lads from Maitland Crescent struggled to beat Havelocks (18-15) in their last outing but will have to come up with a much better display if they hope to overcome the vastly improved Army and notch up their sixth win for the season.

The power-packed CH ‘eight’ which is laden with national players have outplayed their counterparts in the loose with skipper Dilanka Wijesekera leading from the front ably supported by Ranaweera, Achala Perera, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Malewana and Ruwantilleke but tomorrow they will be confronted by the marauding Army forwards spearheaded by veteran flanker Herathge Karunaratne who has been a source of inspiration to his team-mates with his fiery loose play with Palihena, Pushpakumara, Kobbekaduwa, Manoj Silva and skipper Meepage giving of their best a terrific tussle for supremacy can be expected.

CH’s experienced hooker Achala Perera should get the better of Army’s Mahesh Perera in the set scrums while in the line outs the CH trio of Dinesh Sanjeewa, Malewana and Ruwantilleke have the edge over the Army duo of Susantha and Pushpakumara.

The lads from Maitland Crescent have been let down by their three quarters with strongly built Fijian centre Jimmy Bolakoro being the biggest disappointment.

They will hope that he will make amends by unleashing his powerful runs along with co-centre Dinuk de S. Wijeyeratne which would help them to pierce the soldiers defence as they have the services of that hard runner Lakala Perera on the wing in addition to an attacking full back in Matheesha de Silva.

Army’s three quarters have shown a marked improvement in the last three matches with the halves combination of Tharinda Dharshana and Upul Kumara having clicked with wingers Duminda Wickremaratne and young Saliya Handapangoda who have made some daring runs and a repeat performance by them should help them to give CH and FC a close run.

The teams:

CH and FC: - Jayantha Ranaweera, Achala Perera, Damith Perera, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Wasamba Senarath, Sumedha Malewana, Dilanka Wijesekera (Captain), Manjula Ruwantilleke, Tuan Shamrock and Sajith Bandara, Lakala Perera, Jimmy Bolakoro, Dinuk de S. Wijeyeratne, Udaya Kumara, Matheesha de Silva.

Army: - Nushal Meepage (Captain), Mahesh Perera, Asela Pathirana, Ajith Susantha, Pushpakumara, Nishantha Kobbekaduwa, Suranga or Herathge Karunaratne, Manoj Silva, Tharinda Dharshana and Upul Kumara Saliya Handapangoda, Asanka Perera, Suranga Pillimatalawa, Vajira Jayatilleke or Duminda Wickremaratne, Kapila Knewlton.