Achala and Kasun join Kandy Sports Club

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Kandy Sports Club which has reigned supreme in the club rugby scene for more than a decade have been further strengthened by the inclusion of two top national players from Colombo Clubs for the 2010 rugby season.

The hill capital club which has retained the Caltex 'A' Division League Title for nine consecutive years and the Clifford Cup - club rugby's richest prize for the last three years (from 2007 to 2009) have obtained the services of last year's CH and FC skipper and Sri Lanka hooker Achala Perera and CR and FC and ex-Sri Lanka flanker Kasun de Silva.

Kandy SC who will be led by Sri Lanka fly half Fazil Marija have also recruited two outstanding Sri Lanka Youth players Kingswood Skipper Roshan Weeraratne and Dharmaraja centre Darshana Etipola (who came off with flying colours in the youth Rugby Asiad in Hong Kong last year).

The only player missing from the champion Kandy SC outfit this year will be Sri Lanka full back Radhika Hettiarachchi who is likely to turn out for Navy.

Runners-up of the Caltex 'A' Division League and Clifford Cup CR and FC have obtained the services of two top third row forwards Bilal Hassen and Sharo Fernando (both from CH and FC).

In addition six top schoolboy ruggerites Isipatanians Niroshan Fernando, Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Thomians Sachin David, Roshenka Kodituwakku, Arjunan Manoharan and Trinity flanker Idris Omar have joined the Red Shirts.

CR and FC led by Sri Lanka No. 8 Dushanth Lewke have lost the services of Kasun de Silva and third row forward Diren Warnakulasuriya (who has joined Havelocks).

In addition to Warnakulasuriya Havelocks Sports Club have also recruited former CH and FC and Sri Lanka hooker Senthil Kumar who is a utility player who could either play as a flanker, hooker or centre in addition to being an excellent place kicker.