Navy face fierce challenge from Havelocks
Thushan JAYASURIYA
The Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club , who are in a buoyant mood after
their smashing 58 17 win over CR and FC will face a fierce challenge
from formidable Havelocks Sports Club in their Dialog A division
league rugby match at Havelock Park on July 22(Sunday).
The Sailors who are heading the points table, remain unbeaten with
victories over CH and FC ( 29-13), Police ( 31-17), Army ( 19 14 ),
Air Force( 55 15 ), Up Country Lions( 35 8 ) and CR and FC (58 17)
but the Park Club too remain unbeaten with wins over Police (33 10),
Army (25-22), Air Force (47 5), CR and FC (38 -7) and CH and FC ( 57
13 ) in their five outings and are capable of creating a major upset by
toppling the Sailors . Last year Havelocks won the first round game by
23 20 at Welisara but the Navy won the return match convincingly by 35
19 at Havelock Park and the Sailors also beat the Park Club by 23 12
in the semi-finals of the Clifford Cup.
Tomorrows match should turn out to be a battle between Navy's power
packed forwards and Havelocks's speedy three quarters .
Skipper Yoshitha Rajapaksa has been a source of inspiration to his
team mates with his terrific loose play ably supported by Eranga
Swarnatillake, Sathya Ranatunga, Namal Rajapaksa, Kalana Amarasinghe and
sturdily built Sumedha Malewana and the Navy Eight should reign
supreme in the loose once again.
The forte of the Park Club are the speedy threes .
The halves combination of Amjad Buksh and Niroshan Fernando have hit
it off smoothly while Tongan Centre Williami Hakalo , Lee Keegel,
Peterite and Sri Lanka winger Sandun Herath and Royalist and Sri Lanka
Youth Player Chamara Dabare have sliced through the opponents defence
time and again with Full back Mohamed Sheriff having the knack of
joining the line to form the overlap.
Navy's Fijian Centre Cacgunivalu Setefano is on the injured list and
will be replaced by the experienced Kosala Tissera
The Teams
Havelocks Sports Club
: Henry Terrence(Captain), Rajeev Perera, Dushmantha
Priyadarshana, Kavinda Jayasena, Shenal Dias Sudarshan Muthuthanthri,
Dhiren Warnakulasuriya, Nissan Aitui, Amjad Buksh or Andrew Brenson and
Niroshan Fernando , Sandun Herath , Williami Hakalo, Lee Keegal or
Chamara Vithanage, Chamara Dabare , Mohamed Sheriff.
Navy Sports Club
: Eranga Swarnatillake, Namal Rajapaksa or Dulanjan Wijesinghe, Mohamed
Rizwan or Sathya Ranathunga, Sayuru Anthony, Duminda Pullikuttiarachi or
Kalana Amarasinghe, Yoshitha Rajapaksa(Captain), Mohamed Izzadeen or
Rohitha Rajapaksa., Sumedha Malewana, Samantha Lakshan and Rehan
Weerakoon , Chula Susantha , Ratu Taniela, Kosala Tissera, Niranjan
Wickramaratne, Eranda Weerakkody |
