CR-Havelocks clash should be a thriller

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Runners-up of the Caltex ‘A’ Division League for the last four years Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club will face the tough task of overcoming a rejuvenated Havelocks Sports Club in their Caltex ‘A’ Division League rugby match at Havelock Park today. The kick off is scheduled for 4.30 p.m. The winners will receive the Commander E.L. Matthysz Trophy.

The Park Club is in a buoyant mood after two smashing wins over Police (41-12) and Army (48-7) and will go all out to topple the Red Shirts and move up to the second place in the points table. CR and FC need to win today’s game if they are to remain in contention for the Caltex ‘A’ Division League Title.

Havelock Park has been a hoodoo ground for the Red Shirts and it was only two years ago that their League Title hopes were dashed when Havelocks scored a sensational 9-5 win over the Red Shirts having lost the first round game by the staggering margin of 62 points to 7.

The Red Shirts will miss the services of their crack number ‘eight’ Dushanth Lewke who has been sidelined by injury and will be replaced by former Royalist Diren Warnakulasuriya.

The good news for CR is the return of Sri Lanka scrum half Amjad Buksh, former Sri Lanka player Mohamed Sheriff and prop forward Danushka Boteju. Buksh will operate from the base of the scrum and will pair off with national player Ashan de Costa while Sheriff will play in his pet position of centre alongside Niroshan Karunanayake. Former Isipatana and Sri Lanka under 20 player Reza Mubarak will man the last line of defence.

CR AND FC - Shamil Mohamed (Captain), Anuja Perera, Danushka Boteju, Anuradha Dharmatilleke, Gayan Fernando, Danushka Perera, Pavithra Fernando, Diran Warnakulasuriya, Amjad Buksh and Ashan de Costa, Dinesh Kumara, Niroshan Karunanayake, Mohamed Sheriff, Ravindra Wekadapola, Reza Mubarak.

HAVELOCKS - Shafi Hassen, Rajiv Perera, Danushka Sandaruwan, Kavinda Jayasena (Captain), Mohamed Izzadeen, T.D. Seneviratne, S.B. Dissanayake, Rajiv Ganapathy, Dilan de Zoysa and Samantha Lakshan, Wasim Thajudeen, Nuwan Samith, Zakir Badurdeen, Nuwan Hettiarachchi, Dilip Methruwan.