Dialog Knockout Tournament for the Clifford Cup 2012:

Havelocks will not have it easy

Thushan Jayasuriya

Dialog ‘A’ division league champions Havelocks Sports Club who are making a determined bid to clinch the rugby double will face a fierce challenge from debutants Up County Lions in the Semi final of the Dialog Knock Out Rugby Tournament for the Clifford Cup at Havelock Park today. Incidentally, Havelocks last entered a Clifford Cup Final six years ago and they lost to CR and FC 5-37.

The Park Club, scored a runaway 43-5 win over Air Force while Up Country Lions scored a morale boosting 33-10 win over Army and a close contest is on the cards today.

Up front a close tussle for supremacy can be expected with the powerful Havelocks forwards Henry Terrance, Kavinda Jayasena, Shaafi Jhan , Dhiren Warnakulasooriya, Sudarshan Muthuthanthri and Samoan Aitui Nissan being confronted by equally good forwards in Sajith Saranga, Dilip Selvam, Malith Hettiarachchi, Uchitha Jayasuriya, Penniyase Tokakese ans sturdily built veteran Dunstan de Silva.

In the back division the Up Country Lions have a slight edge over the Park Club lads.

They have a good halves combination in Dilan Soyza and Srinath Sooriyabandara in addition to powerful runners Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Sashan Mohammed, Radhika Hettiarachchi and an attacking fullback in Nigel Ratwatte.

Fijian Niva Tausa, ex-Sri Lanka player Chamara Vithanage, Mithun Hapugodage and the superb Full Back Mohammed Sheriff who has a knack of joining the line should give out their best for the pink and chocolate jerseyed lads in their bid to enter the final.

Havelocks - Henry Terrance (Captain), Rajiv Perera, Liston Karunanayake, Kavinda Jayasena, Shaffi Jhan, Dhiren Warnakulasuriya, Sudharshan Muthuthanthri, Aitui Nissan, Rizwan Meedin, Niroshan Fernando, Lee Keegel, Nive Tausa, Chamara Vithanage, Mithun Hapugodage, Mohammed Sheriff.

Up Country Lions - Dunstan de Silva, Uchitha Jayasuriya, Malith Hettiarachchi, Hasitha Perera, Rajitha Abeykoon, Sajith Saranga, Dilip Selvam, Penniyase Takakese, Dilan Soyza and Srinath Sooriyabandara, Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Sashan Mohammed, Radhika Hettiarachchi (Captain), Tavita Taufei, Nigel Ratwatte.