Can CR and FC survive Army's fire-power today?

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Can the CR and FC withstand Army's fire-power? The answer to this question can be found only this evening when these two teams clash in their Caltex 'A' Division League rugby match at Longden Place today with the kick off scheduled for 4.45 p.m.

The Red Shirts struggled to beat Police by 25-16 last week after being led 5-16 at the breather while Army went down fighting to the formidable CH and FC by 17-22 due to a last minute try and a close battle is on the cards today.

CR and FC will be sans three key players today who have been sidelined by injuries - veteran flanker Pavithra Fernando, Sri Lanka player Ashen Karthelis and ex-Sri Lanka full back Mohamed Sheriff while star winger Dinesh Kumara has been left out of the team for not attending practices.

Fernando's place in the third row will be taken by Kasun de Silva (who had an excellent season last year and went onto don the Sri Lanka Jersey at the Singer Rugby Asiad) while former Isipatanian Charith Deshapriya will replace Karthelis. Utility player Senthil Kumar will continue to play as a centre in the absence of Sheriff while former Nalandian Nishan de Silva will be manning one wing replacing Dinesh Kumara.

A terrific tussle for supremacy can be expected up front with the power-packed CR 'eight' especially Shamil Mohamed, Anuja Perera, Dharmatilleke, Mallikarachchi, Kasun de Silva and Dushanth Lewke being confronted by equally good forwards in Nushal Meepage, Kotelawala, Susantha, Pushpakumara, Kobbekaduwa and Manoj Silva.

In the set scrums Sri Lanka hooker Anuja Perera of CR should get the better of his vis-a-vis Asoka Jayalal while in the line outs the Army trio of Susantha, Ratnayake and Pushpakumara have the edge over the CR duo of Dharmatilleke and Mallikarachchi.

CR's three quarters could not make much headway last week with centres Lasintha de Costa and Senthil Kumar being slow and delaying their passes but should give a much better performance today if they are to make maximum use of the 'good ball' that comes their way as they have two hard runners on the wings in former Kandy SC player Mohamed Jabbar and Nishan de Silva (who was a stand-by for the Sri Lanka Youth team last year) in addition to an attacking full back in Ashan de Costa.

The soldiers will also strive to set their three quarters in motion at every turn as they have two fine centres in ex-Sri Lanka Sevens player Asanka Perera and Duminda Wickramaratne who are capable of slicing through the CR defence while on the wing they will have the services of young Saliya Handapangoda (who scored two spectacular tries last week) and will pose the biggest threat to CR.

CR and FC - Shamil Mohamed (Captain), Anuja Perera, Naveen Wijetunge, Anuradha Dharmatilleke, Lasantha Mallikarachchi, Charith Deshapriya, Kasun de Silva, Dushanth Lewke, Amjad Buksh and Dev Anand, Mohamed Jabbar, Lasintha de Costa, Senthil Kumar, Nishan de Silva, Ashan de Costa.

Army - Nushal Meepage, Asoka Jayalal, Nishantha Kotelawala, Ajit Susantha, R.M.G. Ratnayake, Ajith Pushpakumara, Nishantha Kobbekaduwa, Manoj Silva, P.G. Wijesinghe and Upul Kumara, Maurice Abeyratne, Duminda Wickramaratne, Asanka Perera, Saliya Handpangoda, T.A. Silva (Captain).

Havelocks-Air Force tomorrow

Havelocks Sports Club which scored a runaway 91-0 win over Old Zahirians last week will be the guests of Sri Lanka Air Force in their Caltex 'A' Division League rugby match at Ratmalana tomorrow.

The park club will go all out to notch up their third successive win for the season and keep their unbeaten record intact but should face stiff resistance from the Airmen tomorrow. Havelocks have made two changes for tomorrow's game. Outstanding flanker Ravi Jayasuriya has not attended practices and has been replaced by ex-Peterite Sharo Fernando while last year's full back Dilip Methruwan has been brought in as a centre replacing Nuwan Samith.

The Airmen will miss the services of winger Rohan Fernando and full back Nalin Sirisena. Fernando's place will be taken by Sirej Niranga while centre Charith Seneviratne has been shifted to the last line of defence.

Air Force - Saumya Silva, Manjula Kumara, Liston Silva, Prasanna Soysa, Samarahewa, Pradeep Kurukulasuriya, Kennedy Dilan, Dinesh Weeraratne (Captain), Radeesha Seneviratne and Chanaka Chandimal, Roshan Ratnayake, Buddhika Kaluarachchi, Suranga Arunashantha, Sirej Niranga, Charith Seneviratne.

Havelocks - Shafi Hassan, Rajiv Perera, Danushka Sandaruwan, Kavinda Jayasena (Captain), Andrew Jegan, T.D. Seneviratne, Sharo Fernando, Rajiv Ganapathy, Dilan de Zoysa and Samantha Lakshan, Wasim Thajudeen, Zakir Badurdeen, Dilip Methruwan, Chanaka Fonseka, Nuwan Hettiarachchi.