Could Havelocks break five year hoodoo against CR today ?

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

Could Havelocks Sports Club break the five year hoodoo by beating CR and FC? The answer to this question will be found only this evening when these two clubs clash for the Commander Eustace Matthysz Trophy in their Caltex ‘A’ Division League rugby match at Havelock Park.

CR and FC have emerged victorious in the last four years including a 32-8 win in last year’s match but have failed to live upto expectations this year beating CH and FC (14-8), losing to Police (10-11) and being held to a draw by Navy (18-all).

In contrast there has been a remarkable change in the fortunes of the Park Club having notched up two smashing wins over Army (36-13) and Air Force (22-13) having gone down fighting to mighty Kandy SC (13-18) in their first match.

The Red Shirts have been hit by injuries. Fly half Ashan de Costa and Centre Lasintha de Costa will miss today’s game due to injury. In a bold move CR have shifted full back Reza Mubarak to the pivotal fly half berth and he will pair off with former Air Force scrum half Radeesha Seneviratne.

Sri Lanka ruggerite Mohamed Sheriff will be manning the last line of defence while Shabbir Mohamed (who donned the Sri Lanka Jersey at the Asian Five Nations Tournament) will play alongside Sri Lanka youth player Mushin Faleel as centres. Sri Lanka Prop forward Henry Terrence is expected to return to the side today. Veteran Anuja Perera will also come into the team replacing Mohamed Rizwan as hooker. Havelocks have made just one change bringing in Sri Lanka player Wasim Thajudeen to the wing at the expense of Sumith Jagoda.

The Park Club has been bolstered by the presence of two outstanding foreigners – No. 8 Angsta Sae from Samoa and centre Atella Uaisele from Tonga who have played a key role in the success of Havelocks so far.

Runners up of the Caltex ‘A’ Division League Title for the last seven years CR and FC missed the title by a whisker last year – a mere 0.50 points behind champions Knady SC but desperately need a victory today to stay in contention for the League title.

Havelocks will go all out to topple the Red Shirts today and end the five year wait having last emerged victorious over CR in the return match of 2006 when Sajith Bandara fired across three 40 metre penalties to give Havelocks a stunning 9-5 win over a star studded CR team.

Havelocks - Desmond Wilson, Roshan Fonseka, Sudarshana, Kavinda Jayasena (Captain), Asela Dissanayake, Dhiren Warnakulasuriya, Sudarshan Muthutantri, Angsta Sae, Roshan Rajapakse and Pushpakumara, Wasim Thajudeen, Atella Uaisele, Anuruddha Wilwara, Zakir Badurdeen, Sajith Bandara.

CR and FC - Shehan Dimitri, Anuja Perera, Dunstan de Silva or Henry Terrence, Hasitha Perera, Sharo Fernando, Gayan Ratnage, Chilanka Samaraweera, Dushanth Lewke (Captain), Radeesha Seneviratne or Srinath Sooriyabandara and Reza Mubarak, Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Shabbir Mohamed, Mushin Faleel, Nuwan Chamara, Mohamed Sheriff.