CR - Havelocks clash on June 29

Thushan JAYASURIYA

The eagerly awaited confrontation between traditional rivals CR and FC and Havelocks Sports Club will take place on June 29 (Friday) at Longden Place. Both teams remain unbeaten this season with the Park club winning all three matches against Police (33-10), Army (25-22) and Air Force (47-05) while the Red shirts have triumphed in both games played so far against Army (22-20) and Air Force(44-27). Last year CR won the first round game by 15-10 at Havelock Park while the Havelocks ended a five year hoodoo with a wafer-thin 25 – 24 win in the return match at Longden Place.

Five players of CR and FC have crossed over to Havelocks and will don the Pink and Chocolate Jersey on Friday.Prop Forward Henry Terrance, Lock Forward Ashen Karthelis, Fly Half Niroshan Fernando, Winger Chamara Dabare and Full Back Mohamed Sheriff will play against their former club alongside seasoned campaigners Kavinda Jayasena, Rajiv Perera, Sudharshana Muthuthanthri, Dhiren Warnakulasuriya and Amjad Buksh. In addition the Park Club will also have the services of three top Samoan players Autai Nissan, P.Sopo and William Hakalo and the park club should have the edge over their traditional rivals in this match.

CR and FC who have been affected by the exodus of several players to other clubs will have the services of some talented youngsters of the calibre of Sri Lanka Youth player and Isipatana Prop Forward Nipuna Devinda, Thurstan and Sri Lanka under 19 Prop Forward Hafiz Adahan, last year's Royal skipper and Sri Lanka Youth player Shehan Pathirana,former Sri Lanka Youth player Mushin Faleel and Josephian Scrum-Half Piyum Jayasinghe (who fared exceptionally well at the Carlton Rugby Sevens) .

Last year's Havelocks Full Back Sajith Bandara has crossed over to CR and FC and he is likely to man the last line of defence for the Longden Place Club with the de Costa brothers Skipper Lasintha and Ashan likely to play on the wings. The Red Shirts have also obtained the services of three top foreigners New Zealanders Fly Half Luke Muggeridge, Sabir and Number Eight Palatsala Moelele (who arrived in the country a few days ago and will play his first match on Friday).

The Red Shirts will also have the services of former Police Hooker Gemunu Indrachapa, ex-Air Force Scrum-Half Radeesha Seneviratne and Sri Lanka Lock Forward Ishan Noor and strive to give of their best despite going into the match as underdogs.

Havelocks Sports Club finished third in last year's Caltex ‘A’ division league while CR and FC ended up in fourth place after having emerged runners-up for seven consecutive years from 2004 to 2010.