(UTV|COLOMBO) – The eagerly awaited confrontation between the only two unbeaten teams in the Dialog ‘A’ Division League defending champions Kandy Sports club and Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club at Longden Place today should turn out to be a thriller.
Kandy SC are in peak form having thrashed Army 64-19 and Police 33-13 in their last two outings but face a fierce challenge from the youthful CR and FC who too have emerged victorious in all four matches by overcoming Police (21-17), CH and FC 23-17, Air Force (31-13) and Army (33-10).
Possession will play a key role in the final outcome. The set scrums should be shared between Kandy SC’s Damith Dissanayake and CR’s Supun Warnakulasuriya while in the line outs the Kandy trio of Jason Dissanayake, Sayuru Anthony and Shehan Pathirana have the edge over the CR duo of Panduka Angammana and Sharo Fernando. In the loose a terrific tussle for supremacy can be expected with Kandy’s famed ‘eight’ especially Yakoob Ali, Jason Dissanayaka, Damith Dissanayake, Shehan Pathirana, Buwanake Udangamuwa and Cherles Praveen being confronted by equally good forwards in CR’s Himasha Hirushan, Supun Warnakulasuriya, Sharo Fernando, Joel Perera, Panduka Angammana and skipper Omalka Gunaratne.
The Kandy halves combination of Srinath Sooriyabandara and skipper Nigel Ratwatte have hit it off smoothly in the last two outings with centres Tharinda Ratwatte and Oshan Perera slicing through the opponents defence while wingers Buddhima Piyaratne and Diluksha Dange have tested the opponents defence to the hilt with their daring runs down the flanks.
Sri Lanka Sevens captain Densha Dayan is likely to man the last line of defence in the absence of Thilina Wijesinghe with the place kicking duties likely to be entrusted to Tharinda Ratwatte.
Reza Mubarak has been a tower of strength in the last line of defence with safe collections and booming kicks to touch and has piloted the team to victory with his ‘bulls eye’ place kicking.
CR and FC – Himasha Hirushan, Supun Warnakulasuriya, Ashen Fernando, Mithila Perera, Panduka Angammana, Sharo Fernando, Joel Perera, Omalka Gunaratne (Captain) Kavindu de Costa and Chanaka Chandimal, Reeza Refaideen, Dinuk Amarasinghe, Janidu Dilshan, Gamunu Chethiya Reza Mubarak
Kandy SC – Jakoob Ali, Damith Dissanayake, Charles Praveen, Sayuru Anthony, Shahika Jayawardena, Jason Dissanayake, Shehan Pathirana, Buwanake Udangamuwa, Srinath Sooriyabandara and Nigel Ratwatte (captain) Buddhima Piyaratne, Tharinda Ratwatte, Oshan Perera, Diluksha Dange, Dansha Dayan. (DN)