‘A’ Division League Rugby Tournament :
Havelocks to field two foreigners this year
Ranjeeva Seneviratne
Havelocks Sports Club which finished last in the 2010 Caltex ‘A’
Division League Rugby Tournament will be bolstered by the presence of a
Tongan and a Samoan in the 2011 ‘A’ Division League Rugby Tournament.
The Tongan number eight and Samoan centre have been playing in New
Zealand’s club rugby competition with the Samoan having represented his
country’s under 21 team and their inclusion will be a morale-booster for
the park club.
Former Sri Lanka and Navy flanker Ravi Jayasuriya has also joined
Havelocks along with Sri Lanka youth players hooker Anjula de Silva,
flanker Sudarshan Muthutantri, centre Anuruddha Wilwara (all three from
S. Thomas), last years Thomian skipper and No. 8 Rajindra Gunasekera,
prop M. Ching and Science College’s Nimesh Perera and Pushpukumara.
Former Havelocks and Sri Lanka player Wasim Thajudeen who missed much
of the matches last year due to injury makes a welcome return to the
side and is likely to occupy the pivotal fly half berth.
He will pair off with either Roshan Rajapakse or Ranjan Baddegama.
The other player who could fit in as fly half is Nimesh Perera.
Anuruddha Wilwara who went onto represent Sri Lanka at the
Commonwealth Games and Carlton sevens will play alongside the Samoan
player as centres. The experienced Zakir Badurdeen, Suranga Jagoda,
Ruchira Ratnage and Lee Keegel will fight in out for the wingers berths.
Last year’s fly half Sajith Bandara will move over to the last line
of defence where he faces a strong challenge from former Air Force full
back Uthpala Senaratne.
The Park club will have a strong pack with skipper Kavinda Jayasena
and Ravi Jayasuriya binding down in the second row.
The Tongen will occupy the No. 8 position with last year’s No. 8
Diren Warnakuluasuriya, Asela Dissanayake, Rajindra Gunasekera and
Sudarshan Mulhutantri battling it out for the flanker berths.
Sri Lanka youth player Anjula de Silva or Roshan Fonseka will be the
regular hooker. Ex-Thomian M. Ching, Dushmantha Priaydarshana or Desmond
Wilson will bind down in the front row.
The Park club is confident of emerging as a force to be reckoned with
once again and will play host to defending champions Kandy SC in their
first match on June 4 at Havelock Park.
Havelocks last won a major title in 15-a-side rugby in 2003 when
propelled by the Tongan duo of centre Joseph Waka and No. 8 Alex Taka
they clinched the premier champions Trophy by edging out CR and FC by
21-19 in the final having overcome the formidable Army in the
semi-final. |