CR confront Air Force in their first match

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Runners-up of the Caltex 'A' Division League Title for the last four years and President's Trophy Champions Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club will come out for the first time when they confront the vastly improved Air Force on May 3 at Longden Place.

The Red Shirts who are determined to regain the 'A' Division League Rugby title which has eluded them for the last nine years will once again field a formidable side which is studded with national players. Sri Lanka prop forward Shamil Mohamed has been entrusted with the task of leading the Longden Place Club this year.

The forwards will comprise seasoned campaigners - Sri Lanka prop forward Danushka Boteju, last year's Sri Lanka Hooker Senthil Kumar, Anuja Perera, last year's Skipper Anuradha Dharmatilleke, Burly Henry Terrence, No. 8, Naveen Wijetunge, Sri Lanka Flankers Ashen Karthelis, Kasun de Silva (who had an excellent season and was picked to play for Sri Lanka at the Singer Rugby ASIAD) and former Skipper Pavithra Fernando.

The strong point of the CR will be their speedy three quarters. Sri Lanka scrum half Amjad Buksh will operate from the base of the scrum and will pair off with national player Ashan De Costa.

Sri Lanka Ruggerite Lasintha de Costa will be one of the centres with either former Sri Lanka Youth Player Thilina Manoj or last year's Havelocks and Sri Lanka Centre Niroshan Karunanayake occupying the other berth. The wings are likely to be manned by the speedy Dinesh Kumar and former Kandy SC player Mohamed Jabbar.

Former Sri Lanka Centre Mohamed Sheriff will battle it out for the full back position with last year's Sri Lanka under 20 full back Reza Mubarak from Isipatana. Air Force went down fighting (10-23) to CR in last year's league match played at Ratmalana and should give the Red Shirts a run for their money in this year's game.

Led by No. 8 Dinesh Weeraratne the Airmen will have the services of experienced forwards of the calibre of prop forwards Saumya Silva, Kosala Ranasinghe, Hosker Duminda Vithanage, lock forwards Prasanna Soysa, Samarahewa and flankers Pathum Ediriweera, Pradeep Kurukulasuriya in addition to skipper Weeraratne.

Young Radeesha Seneviratne (who came off with flying colours in the Dialog Pro Rugby Sevens) will once again operate from the base of the scrum and will pair off with Nalin Sirisena. Young Charith Seneviratne and Sri Lanka Youth Player Chanaka Chandimal are likely to occupy the centre berths while the experienced Suranga Arunashantha and Sirej Niranga (who had a fine season) will be manning the wings.

Former skipper Rohan Fernando who has been a tower of strength with his safe collections and booming kicks to touch and has a knack of joining the line to form the overlap is likely to fill the full back's position once again for the Airmen.