CR face tough task against Police today

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Runners up of the Caltex 'A' Division League CR and FC face the tough task of overcoming a rejuvenated Police outfit in the quarter-final of the Caltex knock-out Rugby Tournament for the Clifford Cup at Longden Place today.

The Red Shirts won the first round game of the 'A' Division League by 54-3 but today they field a depleted outfit due to injuries and defection of some key players prop forward Shamail Mohamed, Flaker Pavithra Fernando and fly half Ashan de Costa are on the injured list while De Anand, Chamara Withanage and winger Mohamed Jabber have joined Navy and Kandy SC respectively.

The Policemen have trained hard during the last few days and are in a buoyant mood having won the Plate Championship and should give the Red shirts a run for their money.

Up front a terrific tussle for supremacy can be expected with CR's power-packed forwards Boteju, Anuja Perera, Karthalis, Noor, Lewke and Denushka Perera being confronted by the marauding Police 'eight' especially Welagedara, Hewawasam, Chaminda Silva, Wilson, Hettiarachchi, Dinesh Kumara and Izzadeen. With fly Ashan de Costa on the injured list it is left to be seen how CR's new halves combination of Sooriyabandara and Lasintha de Costa will perform today.

If they click then the Red Shirts should be able to make the maximum use of the good ball which comes their way as they have two powerful runners on the wings in Dinesh Kumara and Dinusha Chathurange in addition to an attacking full back in Reze Mubarak.

CR and FC:

Danushka Boteju, Anuja Perera, Henry Terrence, Ishan Noor, Ashan Karthelis (Captain), Danushka Perera, Diren Warnakulasuriya, Dushanth Lewke, Srinath Sooriyabandara and Lasintha de Costa, Dinesh Kumara, Niroshan Karunanayake, Nuwan Chamara, Dinusha Chathuranga, Reza Mubarak.

Police:

Charaka Hewawasam, Chaminda Silva, Malith Hettiarachchi, Pradeep Wilson, Dinesh Kumara, Mohamed Izzadeen, Akmal, Nishantha Welagedera, Milinda Bandara and Harshana Wijeweera (Captain), Champika Thushara, Priyantha Ekanayake Thisitha Seneratilleke, Ajith Herath, Jeevan Amaradasa.