Three Peterite ruggerites to play for Havelocks

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Three outstanding ruggerites from St. Peter’s College have joined Havelocks Sports Club and will turn out for the park club in the Caltex inter-club knock-out rugby tournament for the Clifford Cup which will be worked off from August 8 to 24, 2008.

Skipper and flanker Poornaka Delpachitra, winger Gerald Canute and fly half Harsha Weerakkody who played a key role in the success of St. Peter’s College which clinched the President’s Trophy by beating Isipatana by 16-11 in the final, are attending practices at Havelock Park and are likely to don the pink and chocolate jersey in their quarter final match against Army on August 10 at Police Park.

Havelocks which finished third in the Caltex ‘A’ Division league, last won the Clifford Cup way back in 1981 under Angelo Wickremaratne by edging out Police by 8-6 in the final.

They entered the final in 2004 before losing to Kandy SC by the staggering margin of 20-51 at Nittawela and 2006 before losing to traditional rivals CR and FC by 7-35 in the final at Longden Place.

CH and FC is another club which will benefit by the presence of schoolboys in their side.

Sri Lanka Youth players Bilal Hassen (Royal) and Sajith Saranga (Isipatana) will don the red and white jersey in the Clifford Cup knock-out tournament.

Saranga is a flanker, while Hassan is an utility player who can play either as Number 8, flanker, or hooker. Both of them played for Sri Lanka in the Youth Rugby Asiad in Brunei last year along with Poornaka Delpachitra and Harsha Weerakkody.

They turned out for the Maitland Crescent Club in their last league match and played a vital role to help them to score a smashing 29-10 win over Havelocks.

CH and FC last won the Clifford Cup - club rugby’s richest prize, in 1995 by beating CR and FC (15-11) in the final at Nittawela.

They entered the final in 2003 losing to Kandy SC (22-30) and in 2005 losing once again to Kandy SC by 6-31.