Havelocks - a blend of youth and experience

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Havelocks Sports Club was on the verge of recapturing their past glory last year. The lads from Havelock Town ended up third in the Caltex ‘A’ Division league Rugby Championship after a lapse of more than a decade by winning seven matches out of 12 and also went down fighting to the mighty CR and FC by 16-22 in the semi-finals of the Clifford Cup Tournament.

The man who brought about this remarkable change in the park club’s fortunes was none other than Nishantha Chanaka, the former Havelocks skipper who took great pains to mould them into a formidable outfit.

However this year Havelocks have been badly hit by the exodus of several players who played a vital role in their success last year - flanker Mohamed Izzadeen and centre D. Samaratilleke have joined the Police while flanker Sharo Fernando and prop Kasun Yasaisuru have crossed over to CH and FC and Kandy SC respectively. Fly half Samantha Lakshan, full back Nuwan Hettiarachchi, centre Dilip Methruwan and No. 8 Tyronne Harrison too have made their exit and will turn out for the Navy.

However the Park club have retained the services of seasoned campaigners of the calibre of prop Shafi Hassen, hooker Rajiv Perera, lock forwards Chathuranga Amarasinghe, Kavinda Jayasena and centres Ruwan Suranga and Nuwan Samith and talented youngsters Andrew Jegan, Danushka Sandaruwan, Dilan de Zoysa, Zakir Badurdeen and Chanaka Fonseka which makes this year’s team a blend of youth and experience.

But their new coach former Sri Lanka skipper Hishem Abdeen is confident that the team could bounce back into contention as the season progresses despite suffering two heavy defeats at the hands of Army (0-33) and the formidable CH and FC (6-56).

This year burly former Peterite Chathuranga Amarasinghe has been entrusted with the task of leading the Park club. A fine line out jumper and a tireless player in the loose Amarasinghe will occupy one lock forward’s berth with Dimithra Wijetunge, Asela Dissanayake, Chanaka Bandara and ex-Old Zahirians player Kamil Hadjie battling it out for the other position.

Former skipper Shafi Hassen who has turned out for Havelocks for more than a decade will once again bind down in the front row with either Danushka Sandaruwan or ex-Sri Lanka Youth player Andrew Jegan. The experienced Rajiv Perera who represented Sri Lanka at the Asian Division One Tournament in Dubai will once again fill the hooker’s position with former Peterite Roshan Fonseka as the stand-by.

Last year’s skipper the experienced Kavinda Jayasena an excellent line out jumper will be seen in a new role as No. 8 this year with S.B. Dissanayake also staking a claim. Ex-Peterite skipper and Sri Lanka youth player Poornaka Delpachitra and Antonian Prasad Weerakkody will be the flankers with Indika Abeyratne making a determined bid to oust one of them.

Ex-Sri Lanka scrum half Dilan de Zoysa or Roshan Rajapakse will operate from the base of the scrum and will pair off with Peterite and Sri Lanka Youth player Harsha Weerakkody with Prasad Perera being the other player who could fit into the fly half berth.

Two hard runners and solid tacklers the experienced duo of Ruwan Suranga and Nuwan Samith will be the centres but face a strong challenge from Rajitha Samaranayake. The wings will be occupied by Chanaka Fonseka and Sumith Jagoda.

The last line of defence will be manned by Zakir Badurdeen with Wesleyite Anura Perera as the stand-by.