Kandy-CH game kick starts rugby’s Super Round matches  

By A Special Sports Correspondent

Kandy Sports Club (Kandy SC) have a lot to prove and gain when they confront Colombo Hockey & Football Club (CH&FC) in their inter-club league rugby tournament Super Round ‘Cup Championship’ match at Race Course on Saturday (February 3).

Just about two weeks ago an image Kandy SC had created and maintained for some time as ‘the invincibles’ went to pieces when CR&FC beat them 38-26 in their own backyard.

No team can remain on top without maintaining a hunger to be the top dog. Kandy has that hunger alright and there is no question in that. But the Nittawela Club has to accept the fact that CR has grown to full potential and the club’s players have trained well and been drilled to perfection at practices. . Suddenly CR&FC has produced a rugby manual that other clubs may want to buy. The man standing behind CR’s success is Dushanth Lewke and he can take a bow for that.

Kandy’s challenges have grown throughout this season. They had quite a few close calls but they came on top with a burst of energy in the last quarter of the game in most matches. The Nittawela players this weekend travel down to Race Course where they’ll play against a much improved CH&FC side which is captained by Awantha Lee and coached by Sanath Martis. CH went down fighting to Kandy in the first-round encounter by 22 points to 13.

CH this season is no bottom seed; despite finishing at the bottom of the points table last season. At the end of the first round CH&FC finished among the top three teams in the tournament losing just two games; their second defeat was to CR&FC. Other than some of the other players to watch in the CH side are Prasath Madusanka, Dushmantha Priyadharshana, Janidu Dilshan and place kicker Irusha Nethmina.

Kandy on the other hand have to steady their scrum and make less mistakes on the field. This side still has the resources, player potential and bench -strength to bounce back from that defeat suffered in the seventh week of the tournament. Kandy SC has one of the best back divisions in club rugby with players in the likes of Nigel and Tharinda Ratwatte, Jason Dissanayake, Dinal Ekanayake, Danushka Ranjan, Skipper Lavanga Perera and utility players Srinath Sooriyabandara doing duty for them.

In another key encounter scheduled for week eight of the inter-club league rugby tournament Super Round ‘Cup Championship’ category Havelock Sports Club (Havies) scrum down with the high-riding CR&FC side at Havelock Park on Friday (February 2). The Park Club is led by hooker Azmeer Fajudeen while CR are led by lock forward Suhiru Anthony.

In the Plate Championship category Navy SC play against Police SC at Welisara while on Saturday Army take on Air Force at Panagoda. The tournament is organised by Sri Lanka Rugby and is sponsored by Nippon Paint.

Kandy SC rugby pool from- M. Wijesundara, K. Bandara, M. Weerasinghe, Wawala Panditha, C. Soysa, C. Kudalige, Jason Dissanayake, Dahan Wickremeaarachchi, Heshan Jansen, L. Ranaweera, Dinal Ekanayake, Tharinda Ratwatte, Lavanga Perera (Captain), D. Dange, Srinath Sooriyabandara, A. Mohomed, D. Fareed, M. Chandradas, F. Wajid, S. Abeywickrama, S. Tennakoon, O. Perera, Danushka Ranjan, Nigel Ratwatte

CH&FC –P. Dushmantha, Prasath Madusanka, C. Silva, G. Jayamanna, N. Perera, G. Madushanka, R. Anjula, Janith Laksara, Harsha Maduranga, Rohitha Rajapaksa, Chamath Kilan, Awantha Lee (Captain), Janidu Dilshan, T. Maduranga, Hirusha Nethmina, V. Gamage, N. Chamuditha, G. Silva, D. Ranasinghe, M. Perera, D. De Silva, O. Hettiarachchi.