Sailors ready to give Kandy a big challenge

S.M. Jiffrey ABDEEN Kandy Sports Corr.,

The defending Caltex League rugby champions Kandy Sports Club will not find it easy when they take on the doughty Navy Sports Club in their Caltex League Rugby Tournament match to be played at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium in Kandy this Sunday - May 17.

The defending champions will field a not so strong side despite enlisting the services of Sri Lanka and CR and FC utility player in the back division and two prop forwards from Havelocks SC including Kasun Yasaisuru. On the minus side durable prop Jeewa Galgamuwa is abroad continuing his studies, centre Sajith Mallikarachchi is no longer in Kandy and is likely to turn out for a Colombo though Kandy SC announced that he had retired from the game. Lock forward Sumedha Jayasinghe has crossed over to a Colombo Club. Winger Eranda Weerakkody will turn out for Navy. No. 8 Imran Bisthamin will be out of rugby following the fall he had last year in a shopping complex. Having lost so many players, Kandy will be on a team building mission in their first few matches. Their star player and scrum half Saliya Kumara will not be available for this match due to injury and it is going to tough going for the champions in their curtain raiser. But with the talent available, they are certain to start off with a win as they still have star studded side with national players like hooker Anuranga Walpola, Zafeer Jhan, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Buddhika Talagampola, Sajith Saranga, Fazil Marika, Skipper Pradeep Liyanage, Prasad Chathuranga, Gayan Ratnage, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Sameera Silva and Radhika Hettiarachchi available and they will be able to deliver the goods. Their foreign coach Johann Taylor has been putting them through their paces and much will depend on their fitness to counter the rugged play of the sailors who have come back to big time rugby after skipping a few seasons due to exigencies of duty.

Navy's re-entry to big time rugby is good for the game and they enlisted the services of a number of top class players who will make them a formidable unit. Their coach Ronnie Ibrahim said look for the shocks as the season progresses, they are a well knit side, committed to give out their best.

Navy will be led by that hard working forward and old Thomian Yoshitha Rajapaksa who performed well for his school. A tough player who plays well in the loose and the sailors will depend much from him.

Nothing will stop this Navy side from topping the defending champions in their home terrain and they nearly did this in the Sevens tournament earlier this year when Kandy squeezed through during the extra time.

Apart from Yoshitha Rajapaksa, they have top players like No. 8 Sumedha Malawana, prop N. Suranga, S. Manchanyake, hooker Suneth Chathuranga, Nuwan Bandara, Shehan Deen, Nippy Suranga Pushpakumara is likely to operate from the base of the scrum and will pair off with Samantha Lakshan to form the halves combination. Others who make the side are explosive centres Dilip Methuruwan and Kosala Tissera.

On the wings will be Nuwan Hettiarachchi, Niranjan Wickremaratne, and Eranda Weerakkody will man the last line of defence. For spot kicks they have a wide choice in Samantha Lakshan, Erande Weerakkody and Nuwan Hettiarachchi.

Having fought for the country to preserve the sovereignty of the land, the sailors are back against to dazzle in the rugby field and they deserve all the encouragement in their endeavours.

Kandy SC (from) Kishore Jehan, Anuranga Walpola, Eranga Swarnatillake, Zafeer Jhan, Senaka Bandara, Sean Wijesinghe, Buddhika Talagampola, Sajith Saranga (No. 8), Prasad Chathuranga and Fazil Marija, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Pradeep Liyanage (Captain), Gayan Weeraratne, Sameera Silva, Radhika Hettiarachchi. Stand bys: Mohammed Sheriff, Arvinda Udangamuwa, Saliya Jayawardena, Kasun Yasaisuru, Krishantha Rajapakse, Dilip Selvam.