Kandy SC - CR clash in the Clifford Cup final

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Will CR and FC be third time lucky? The answer to this question will be found only on September 5 (Saturday) when these two teams clash in the final of the Caltex knock-out Rugby tournament for the Clifford Cup at Nittawela.

Kandy Sports Club won both matches of the Caltex 'A' Division League by 21-17 and 26/16 and it is left to be seen whether the Red Shirts could emerge victorious when they clash for the third time this season on Saturday.

Kandy Sports Club are the defending champions having overcome CR and FC in the finals in the last two years while the Red Shirts last won the trophy in 2006 with a smashing 37-5 win over Havelocks in the final. With both clubs having won the Clifford Cup club rugby's richest prize on 14 occasions the winners of this year's final will have the honour of winning the trophy the most number of times.

Kandy SC has reigned supreme in the Clifford Cup Tournament since winning it for the first time in 1992 and will have a distinct advantage as they will be playing on their home grounds.

CR and FC scored an unimpressive 22-6 win over Air Force in the first semi-final while the lads from Kandy SC withstood a fierce challenge from CH and FC to emerge victorious by 25-19 in the second semi-final.

Saturday's final should turn out to be a battle between CR's power-packed forwards and Kandy's speedy three quarters.

CR and FC's 'eight' has given a sterling display in most of the matches No. 8 Dushanth Lewke has been a source of inspiration to his team-mates with his fiery loose play and has been ably supported by Danushka Boteju, Ashan Karthelis, Ishan Noor, Anuja Perera and Danushka Perera which has seen them dominate in the loose.

The set scrums should be shared between the experienced duo of Anuja Perera (CR and FC) and Anuranga Walpola (Kandy SC). While in the line outs the Kandy trio of Zaffer Jahn, Senaka Bandara and Saranga have the edge over CR's Ashen Karthelis and Ishan Noor.

Kandy SC with a superior back division should be able to make the maximum use of the 'good ball' which comes their way.

The halves combination of Prasad Chaturanga and Fazil Marija have hit it off smoothly while hard running centres Pradeep Liyanage and Mohamed Sheriff have sliced through the opponents defence time and again while on the wings they will have the services of that powerful runner Sanjeeva Jayasinghe who will pose the biggest threat to the Red Shirts. Liyanage turned out to be the match winner with a hat-trick of tries against CH and FC.

Kandy SC - Kishore Jehan, Anuranga Walpola, Eranga Swarnatilleke, Zaffer Jahn, Senaka Bandara, Dilip Selvam, Sean Wijesinghe, Sajith Saranga, Prasad Chathuranga and Fazil Marija, Sameera Silva, Mohamed Sheriff, Pradeep Liyanage (Captain), Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Saliya Kumara.

CR and FC - Henry Terrance, Anuja Perera, Danushka Boteju, Ishan Noor, Ashen Karthelis (Captain), Danushka Perera, Kasun de Silva or Faizer Marija, Dushanth Lewke, Zulki Hamid and Srinath Sooriyabandara, Dinesh Kumara, Lasintha de Costa, Niroshan Karunanayake, Dinusha Chaturanga, Reza Mubarak.