Can CR withstand Army's fire-power?

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Can the high-riding CR and FC withstand Army's fire-power? The answer to this question will be found only this evening when these two teams clash in their Caltex 'A' Division League Rugby match at Police Park. The kick off is scheduled for 4.45 p.m.

The Red Shirts remain unbeaten with four smashing wins over Air Force (26-0), Police (54-3), Havelocks (37-12) and Navy (32-10) but today they confront an Army outfit which is in a buoyant mood after their sensational 21-12 win over the formidable CH and FC having earlier overcome Navy (15-10) and Havelocks (33-0).

Up front a terrific tussle for supremacy can be expected with CR's power-packed forwards Boteju, Anuja Perera, Noor, Karthelis, Lewke and Danushka Perera coming up against the marauding 'Army eight' with Meepage, Kotalawela, Jayalal, Suranga, Susantha and Ratnayake who are likely to come up with another sterling display. In the set scrums CR's Anuja Perera should get the better of his vis-a-vis Jayalal while the line outs should be shared between the CR duo of Noor and Karthelis and Army's Susantha and Perera.

With a fine halves combination in Zulki Hamid and Dev Anand the Red Shirts will strive to make the maximum use of the 'good ball' which comes their way by setting their three quarters in motion as they have hard running centres in Vithanage and de Costa in addition to that powerful runner on the wings Nuwan Chamara who are capable of breaching the Army defence.

The soldiers have brought in Upul Kumara to the pivotal fly half berth and he will pair off with Asiri and if the new halves combination clicks they could test the CR and FC defence to the hilt as they have a hard running centre in Asanka Perera in addition to two powerful runners on the wings in Lankatilleke and Saliya Handapangoda with full back Kapila Knowlton having the knack of joining the line to form the overlap.

Army: Nishantha Kotelawala (Captain), Asoka Jayalal, Nushal Meepage, Ajit Susantha, A. P. Perera, R. M. G. Ratnayake, Jayaratne, V. C. D. Sujith, T. A. Asiri and Upul Kumara, Lankatilleke, Asanka Perera, Sampath, Saliya Handapangoda, Kapila Knowlton.

CR and FC: Danushka Boteju, Anuja Perera, Henry Terrence, Ishan Noor, Ashan Karthelis (Captain), Pavithra Fernando, Danushka Perera, Dushanth Lewke, Zulki Hamid and Dev Anand, Nuwan Chamara, Chamara Vithanage, Ashan de Costa, Dinusha Chathuranga, Srinath Sooriyabandara