Kandy SC face strong challenge from CR, CH and Army at Club Rugby Sevens

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Kandy sports club which has reigned supreme in 'sevens' rugby in recent years having won the club rugby sevens title for six consecutive years from 2002 will face a strong challenge from CR and FC, CH and FC and Army when the inter-club rugby sevens is worked off in Kandy on February 2 and 3, 2008.

The second tournament will be conducted in either Badulla or Nuwara Eliya on February 16 and 17, 2008 followed by the third and final tournament at Longden Place on March 1 and 2, 2008. Last year Kandy SC won both tournaments the Singer professional sevens in Radella by beating CR and FC 28-5 in the final and QI professional sevens at Longdon Place by overcoming CR and FC 15-7 in the final and will go all put to make it seven in a row this year.

The lads from Kandy under the leadership of Sri Lanka flanker Sean Wijesinghe will field a star studded outfit and will have the services of Sri Lanka ruggerites Sanjeeva Jayasinghe, Pradeep Liyanage, Fazil Marija, Saliya Kumara, Imran Bisthamin, Dushanth Lewke, Anuranga Walpola and Radhika Hettiaracchi (who has returned to his home town club after a lapse of two years).

Kandy's closest challengers CR and FC will also a field a side packed with national players led by Sri Lanka prop forward Shamil Mohamed the red shirts will have in their ranks players of the calibre of Amjad Buksh, Ashan de Costa, Lasintha de Costa, Mohamed Sheriff, Dinesh Kumara, Ashen Karthelis, Anuradha Dharmatillake and that powerful runner Mohamed Jabbar (who has crossed over from Kandy SC).

CH and FC captained by Sri Lanka Winger Lakala Perera will also field a formidable team which includes Dilanka Wijesekera, Tuan Shamrock, Maheesha de Silva, Dinuk de S. Wijayaratne, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Achala Perera and Zaffer Jahn in their bid to regain the rugby sevens title which they last won in 1998.

The Sri Lanka Army too will be a force to be reckoned with and will have the services of Sri Lanka 'sevens' player Asanka Perera, Saliya Handapangoda, Ambuwangala, Tharindu Darshana, Manoj Silva, Perakum Fernando, Duminda Wickremaratne and Kapila Knowlton.

The soldiers won the bowl championship at the kings cup rugby 80 championships in Phuket Thailand and the experience gained by playing in that tournament should stand them in good stead.