CH face a strong challenge from Police
Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE
The formidable CH and FC will face a strong challenge from a
determined Police outfit when they clash in the curtain-raiser of the
Caltex 'A' division League Rugby tournament at Maitland Crescent today.
The lads from Maitland Crescent have been strengthened by the
inclusion of three outstanding ruggerites - former Kandy SC and Sri
Lanka skipper Sajith Mallikarachchi, ex-Sri Lanka and CR and FC centre
Avantha Hettiarachchi and former Havelocks flanker Sharo Fernando but
they will come up against a police team which is packed with seasoned
campaigners.
Up front a terrific tussle for supremacy can be expected with the
power-packed CH forwards Achala Perera, Ranaweera, Ranatunge, Dinesh
Sanjeewa, Wijesekera and Sharo Fernando being confronted by the
marauding police 'eight' especially Hewawasam, Sivadason, Wilson,
Archarige, Indrachapa and T.D. Seneviratne.
In the set scrums Sri Lanka hooker Achala Perera should get the
better of his vis-a-vis Akmal Hossan while the line outs should be
shared between the police duo of Wilson and Dinesh Kumara and CH's
Dinesh Sanjeewa and Wasamba Senarath.
CH with a superior back division will strive to make maximum use of
the 'good ball' which comes their way. They will hope that their new
halves combination of Tuan Shemrock and Sajith Mallikarachchi will click
today as they have a hard running centre in Avantha Hettiarachchi while
on the wings they will have the services of that powerful runner Lakala
Perera and strongly built Ajit Upawansa (who returns to the side after a
five year lay off.) The Policemen will prefer to keep play with their
forwards with fly half Wijeweera's long kicks to touch likely to give
them territorial advantage as their back division has been considerebly
weakened by the absence of three key players in wingers Hasith Nilanga,
Danushka Pubudu and full back Jeevan Amaradasa all of whom are on the
injured list.
CH and FC - Jayantha Ranaweera, Achala Perera (Captain), Sathya
Ranatunge, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Damith Perera, Wasamba Senarath, Sharo
Fernando, Dilanka Wijesekera, Tuan Shamrock and Sajith Mallikarachchi,
Lakala Perera, Avantha Hettiatachchi, Rushika Fernando, Ajith Upawansa,
Milinda Jayasinghe.
Police - Cherake Hewawasam, Akmal Hossen, Sivadason, Pradeep Wilson,
Dinesh Kumara, Gemunu Indrachapa, Nalin Archarige, T.D. Seneviratne or
Nishantha Welagedera, Milinda Bandara and Harshan Wijeweera (Captain),
Viraj Devasurendra, Priyantha Ekanayake, D. Samarathilleke, Niresh
Chathuranga or Lahiru Gurusinghe, Ranjith Kumara |