Kandy SC-Havelocks match should be a thriller

The confrontation between defending champions Kandy Sports Club and table leaders Havelocks Sports Club in their Dialog 'A' Division League rugby match at Havelock Park today should turn out to be a thriller.

Kandy Sports Club who won the first round game by 25-20 at Nittawela will go flat out for victory today as a defeat will put them out of the running for the league title which they have won for a record eleven years in a row since 2001.

A victory for Kandy SC will not only enhance their chances of retaining the 'A' division league title for a record 12th consecutive year but also preserve their unbeaten record against Havelocks having lost to the Park Club way back in 1995.

But today the lads from Kandy face a fierce challenge from the Park Club which is enjoying one of their best seasons having won eight matches out of nine and are determined to regain the 'A' Division League title which they last won in 1981.

Today's match should turn out to be a battle between Kandy SC's power-packed forwards and Havelock's speedy three quarters.

Former Kandy SC and Sri Lanka skipper Sean Wijesinghe has been a source of inspiration to his team-mates with his fiery loose play ably supported by Senaka Bandara, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Achala Perera, Sashika Jayawardena and strongly built Tongen Lulu and Kandy SC 'eight' should maintain their supremacy in the loose. The forte of the Park Club are their speedy three quarters. The young halves combination of Andrew Benson and Niroshan Fernando have hit it off smoothly while centres Lee Keegal and Williani Hakalo have sliced through the opponents defence time and again which has resulted in the two hard running wingers Chamara Dabare and Mithun Hapugodage crossing the opponents goal line in virtually every match with full back Mohamed Sheriff joining the line to form the overlap.

Havelocks SC - Henry Terrance (Captain), Rajiv Perera, Dushmantha Priyadarshana, Kavinda Jayasena, Shenal Dias, Dhiren Warnakulasuriya, Sudarshan Muthutantri, Nissan Aitul, Andrew Benson and Niroshan Fernando, Chamara Dabare, Williani Hakalo, Lee Keegal, Mithun Hapugodage, Mohamed Sheriff.

Kandy SC - Latu, Achala Perera, Heshan Premaratne, Senaka Bandara, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Asitha Ratnayake, Sean Wijesinghe, Sashika Jayawardena, Roshan Weeraratne and Fazil Marija, Pradeep Liyanage or Oshan Perera, Gayan Weeraratne, Eddie, Mohamed Jabbar, Saliya Kumara (Captain).