CR, Navy and Air Force also strong contenders:

Kandy SC face fierce challenge

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Kandy Sports Club which has reigned supreme in club rugby for the last ten years will face a fierce challenge from CR and FC, Navy and Air Force in the 2011 rugby season. The lads from Kandy who have won the Caltex ‘A’ Division League Title for a record 10th successive year will be led by Sri Lanka ruggerite Saliya Kumara.

He manned the last line of defence this year and played a key role in their success with his safe collections, booming kicks to touch, joining the line to form the overlap and accurate place kicking.

Kandy SC’s forte

Once again Kandy SC’s forte will be their star studded three quarter-line. Either Roshan Weeraratne or Prasad Chathuranga will operate from the base of the scrum and will pair off with Sri Lanka fly half Fazil Marija who fashioned many victories with his daring breaks.

Two hard runners and solid tacklers Pradeep Liyanage and Gayan Weeraratne are once again likely to occupy the centre berths with national players Darshana Etipola, Mohamed Sheriff and Anuruddha Wilwara too making a strong claim for a place. That powerful runner Sanjeeva Jayasinghe will occupy the wings with either Sameera Silva or Mohamed Jabbar. They will have a strong pack with players of the calibre of Kishore Jehan, Kasun Yasaisuru, Achala Perera, Sajith Saranga, Senaka Bandara, Dilip Selvam, Buddhika Thalgampola, Sean Wijesinghe, Kasun de Silva, Aravinda Udangawa and Peterite skipper Keith Gurusinghe.

Three top props

Runners up of the Caltex ‘A’ Division League title for the last seven years CR and FC who were hampered by a lack of a strong front row this year have obtained the services of three top prop forwards - former Kandy SC skipper Dunstan de Silva, CH and FC’s Tharindu Hasaranga and Peterite Steve Nelson.

Thomian Anjula de Silva will fight it out with Veteran Anuja Perera for the hookers berth. The rest of the pack includes Ashen Karthelis, Ishan Noor, Danushka Perera, Bilal Hassen, Sharo Fernando, Royalist Chilanka Samaraweera and No 8 Dushanth Lewke (who will be leading the Red Shirts for the second successive year).

Sevens star Srinath

Sri Lanka sevens star Srinath Sooriyabandara or Veteran Zulki Hamid will operate from the base of the scrum and will pair off with either Nigel Ratwatte or former Sri Lanka under 19 skipper Niroshana Fernando.

The rest of the back division includes national players Ashan de Costa, Lasintha de Costa, Niroshan Karunanayake, Reza Mubarak, young Nuwan Chamara and that dashing winger Vishwanithra Jayasinghe.

Another team which will be determined to wrest the league Title from Kandy SC next year will be the Sri Lanka Navy who finished third this year including a stunning 12-11 win over Kandy SC at Welisara.

Formidable pack

The sailors led by No 8 Yoshitha Rajapaksa will field a formidable pack which includes Suranga Swarnatilleke, Ransith Peiris, Kalana Amarasinghe, Tyronne Henricus, Shehan Deen, Sri Lanka Youth Players Mohamed Nasmy, Shannon Armclrong, Soyuru Anthony and Sturdily built Sumedha Malewana.

The back division will have players of the calibre of Suranga Pushpakumara, Samantha Lakshan, Dev Anand, Chula Susantha, Kosala Tissera, Niranjan Wickremaratne, Nuwan Hettiarachchi, Eranda Weerakkody and Sri Lanka Youth players Azmil Omar and Chaminda Dabare.

Aiming to fly high

The Sri Lanka Air Force too will be aiming to fly high next year having ended up fourth in the ‘A’ Division League.

Led by scrum half Milinda Jayasinghe the Airmen’s strong point will be their three quarters which includs national players Chanaka Chandimal, Charith Seneviratne, Dilan de Zoysa, Sri Lanka Youth players Rajitha Sansoni, Prabath Jayalath, Mushin Faleel and ‘evergreen’ Radhika Hettiarachchi.

The Air Force forwards which comprise Ranga Perera, Prasanna Soysa, Pradeep Kurukulasuriya, Dinesh Weeraratne, Sajith Adhikari, Damith Perera, Wasamba Senarath, former CH skipper and Sri Lanka Prop Jayantha Ranaweera will be strengthened by the inclusion of Sri Lanka youth players Chethiya Wadugodapitiya, Asitha Ratnayake and U. Jayasuriya.