Havelocks out to give better display

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

Havelocks Sports Club which boasts of a proud rugby history had a disastrous season last year. An exodus of players to other clubs saw them registering just a solitary victory over Police which resulted in them being relegated to the Plate Championship in the second round of the Caltex 'A' Division League.

It was only two years ago (2008) that the Park Club enjoyed one of their best seasons in recent years winning seven matches out of 12 to end up in third position in the Caltex 'A' Division League and went down fighting to arch rivals CR and FC 16-23 in the semi-finals of the Clifford Cup Tournament.

This year the Park Club has shown a marked improvement. They scored a morale-boosting 20-5 win over CH and FC six days ago having lost to Kandy SC (0-44) and Air Force (3-20) in their first two matches and should give a much better display this season.

Havelocks have obtained the services of four outstanding ruggerites - CH and FC and Sri Lanka prop forward Jayantha Ranaweera, ex-Sri Lanka and CH and FC flanker Senthil Kumar, CH and FC fly half Sajith Bandara and former CR and FC number eight Diren Warnakulasuriya who are expected to play a vital role for the Club this year.

Seven years ago the Park Club won its last major title by clinching the Premier Champions trophy by edging out CR and FC by 21-19 in the final.

It was the Tongan duo of Centre Joseph Waka and No 8 Alex Taka who played a key role in their success with the Havelocks having stormed into the final having overcome a strong Army outfit in the semi-finals.

This year former Peterite Rajiv Perera has been entrusted with the task of captaining Havelocks Sports Club. An excellent hooker and a terrific player in the loose Rajiv donned the Sri Lanka Jersey in the Asian Division one tournament in Dubai in 2009 and Singapore this year.

The Park Club will have a strong front row. Former skipper Shafi Hassen who has played for the Park Club for over a decade will bind down with Sri Lanka player and former CH and FC player Jayantha Ranaweera. The other player who could fit into this position is former Police, Kandy SC and Sri Lanka prop forward Dunstan de Silva. Skipper Rajiv Perera will fill the hooker's berth with ex-Peterite Roshan Fonseka as the stand-by. Ex-Havelocks skipper and Sri Lanka player Kavinda Jayasena, a fine line out Jumper and a tireless player in the loose and Chanaka Bandara will be the regular lock forwards with ex-D. S. Senanayake player Christopher Sanjeeva also staking a claim for a place.

Sri Lanka ruggerite Senthil Kumar who is also a reliable place kicker and Asela Dissanayake will fill the flanker positions. Former Royalist and CR ruggerite Diren Warnakulasuriya will be the number eight. If the necessity arises Kavinda Jayasena too could play in this position. The experienced Roshan Rajapakse will once again operate from the base of the scrum with former Antonian Ranjan Baddegama making a determined bid to oust him. The pivotal fly half berth will be occupied by Sajith Bandara who crossed over from CH and FC this year.

Veteran Ruwan Suranga, a hard runner and a solid tackler is assured of a centre berth while former Peterite and Sri Lanka Youth player Harsha Weerakkody, the experienced Zakir Badurdeen and Mohamed Imran will fight it out for the other position. Chanaka Fonseka, Sumith Jagoda and Ruchira Ratnage will battle it out for the winger's positions.

The last line of defence will be manned by Anura Priyantha.

Thusitha Peiris who has taken over the task of coaching the Park Club is taking great pains to mould them into a force to be reckoned with assisted by former Havelocks skipper and Sri Lanka scrum half Leonard de Zilwa.