CR and FC out to clinch 'A' Division league title

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

The reigning President's Trophy champions and runners-up of the Caltex 'A' division league title for the last four years Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club's main ambition this year will be to clinch the 'A' division league rugby title which has eluded them for the last nine years.

The Red Shirts emerged unbeaten 'A' division league rugby champions in 1996 and 1998 but since then have been unable to secure the title although emerging runners-up on seven occasions. Last year too they enjoyed a successful season finishing as runners-up in the Caltex 'A' division league by winning nine matches out of 12 losing both matches to Kandy SC (0-23) and (20-40) and were also held to a 20-all draw by CH and FC in the return match.

They also came off second best to Kandy SC in the Clifford Cup tournament losing the final (5-16) at Nittawela but made amends for it by bagging the President's Trophy with a smashing 22-11 win over CH and FC in the final.

This year the Red Shirts will field another star studded outfit despite losing the services of full back Radhika Hettiarachchi and his brother Avantha Hettiarachchi both of whom have joined Kandy SC but have been compensated by the presence of last year's Kandy SC winger Mohamed Jabbar, ex-Kandy SC and Sri Lanka flanker Danushka Perera and last year's Havelocks and Sri Lanka centre Niroshan Karunanayake who have switched allegiance to the Longden Place Club along with former Sri Lanka Youth players Thilina Manoj (Kingswood), Dev Anand (Kingswood) and Reza Mubarak (Isipatana).

This year prop forward Shamil Mohamed has been entrusted with the captaincy of CR and FC.

Mohamed turned out for Royal from 2000 to 2002 before joining the Red Shirts in 2003 and has been playing for the club since then and was a member of the Sri Lanka team which emerged runners-up of the Singer Rugby Asiad to Kazakhstan last year. He will bind down in the front row with either ex-Sri Lanka prop forward Danushka Boteju or Duminda Pullikuttiarachchi.

Two Sri Lanka players Anuja Perera and Senthil Kumar will battle it out for the hooker's berth. Perera a tireless player in the loose represented Sri Lanka against Arabian Gulf last year while Senthil Kumar, a terrific player in the loose and a superb place kicker donned the Sri Lanka jersey at the Singer Rugby Asiad.

Last year's skipper Anuradha Dharmatilleke, a fine line out jumper will be one of the lock forwards with either former Ananda skipper Gayan Fernando or burly Henry Terrance filling the other berth.

Former Kingswood skipper Naveen Wijetunge should once again occupy the No. 8 berth with Royalist Diren Warnakulasuriya and Isipatanian Lasantha Mallikarachchi making a strong bid to oust him.

Former national player Pavithra Fernando, a fierce tackler and a terrific loose player is assured of one flanker berth, while Sri Lanka flanker Ashen Karthelis is being challenged by Kasun de Silva who too had an excellent season and went onto don the Sri Lanka jersey at the Singer Rugby Asiad.

Former Kandy SC and Sri Lanka player Danushka Perera and ex-Isipatanian Charith Deshapriya are the others who are eyeing the flanker positions.

Sri Lanka's number one scrum half Amjad Buksh is likely to operate from the base of the scrum but faces a strong challenge from Sri Lanka player Zulki Hamid. National player Ashan de Costa should once again occupy the pivotal fly half berth. Dev Anand and Omar Sariffodeen are the others who could fit into this position.

Sri Lanka ruggerite Lasintha de Costa who had a superb season last year will be one of the centres with Trinitian Kosala Tissera, Kingswoodian Thilina Manoj and last year's Sri Lanka centre Niroshan Karunanayake battling it out for the other berth.

That powerful runner Dinesh Kumara will be manning one wing for the Red Shirts with Ravindra Wekadapola, Nalandian Nishan de Silva and ex-Kandy SC player Mohamed Jabbar fighting it out for the other position.

Former Sri Lanka centre Mohamed Sheriff is likely to man the last line of defence for CR this year but is being challenged by Isipatanian Reza Mubarak.

Tavita Tulagaese affectionately called Laga by his friends who was a member of the champion CR teams of 1996 and 1998 will once again coach the Red Shirts this year and should be able to harness their talent, motivate them and mould them into a champion outfit. He is being assisted by former Isipatana and CR full back Rohan Chinthaka.