Schoolboy stars for Kandy, CR and Navy

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

Kandy Sports Club which has reigned supreme in club rugby for the last 10 years have obtained the services of three outstanding schoolboy ruggerites of last year - Dharmaraja skipper Darshana Etipola, Antonian centre Amila Weligampola and No. 8 Arshad Mohamed for the 2010 rugby season.

Etipola came off with flying colours in the Youth Rugby Asiad in Hong Kong last year while Weligampola and Mohamed excelled for the Antonians in the schools ‘A’ Division League and their presence should further strengthen the hill capital club who are aiming to retain the Caltex ‘A’ Division League Title for a record 11th successive year under the leadership of Sri Lanka fly half Fazil Marija.

Kandy SC’s closest challengers CR and FC too have recruited five top schoolboy ruggerites of last year - Sri Lanka Under 19 Skipper Niroshan Fernando and Sri Lanka under 19 winger Vishwamithra Jayasinghe (Both from Isipatana), Thomian winger Arjunan Manoharan and Thomian and Sri Lanka Youth players Sachin David and Roshenka Kodituwakku which should be a morale-booster for the Red Shirts who are determined to regain the League Title after 11 years under the captaincy of Sri Lanka No. 8 Dushanth Lewke.

The Sri Lanka Navy which came up with a sterling display to emerge third in the Caltex ‘A’ Division League with sensational wins over the mighty Kandy SC (12-11), CR and FC (18-3) and CH and FC (18-12 and 20-14) too will have the services of three Sri Lanka youth players - Dushan Honnanthara (Prince of Wales) and Royalists Hamza Hassen and Hasthika Bandarnayake.