Sunday Dec 15, 2024
Sunday Dec 15, 2024
Friday, 13 July 2012 04:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Once again there are four matches to be worked off this weekend. Whilst these games may not very close or 
keenly contested, there are certain ramifications for some of the teams. Navy will take on CR and will want to keep their unbeaten record intact. CR on the other hand is with their morale low after two consecutive losses to the Havies as well as the rampaging Police side last week. In fairness to CR they are a young side, and can be moulded in the years to come. Their inexperience cost them the game last week without taking away any credit from the Police. Their tackling was poor and the body position of the forwards was too upright to make an impact in the contact situation. When they chose to spin the ball out wide, there were glimpses of brilliance. Navy on the other hand has been in fine form dismissing their opponents with consummate ease.
Thus Navy is expected to win and they need to win big, so as to challenge the table leaders HSC who after a number of years in the doldrums have found their feet and may I say find themselves in an unfamiliar position at the top of the table.
Kandy will take on the Airmen and although Kandy has won all of their games thus far, they have been less convincing as opposed to the previous years. In a friendly game last week they almost blew it but finally won with the narrowest of margins. However they should have a reasonable safe passage against the airmen, unless the airmen resort to some aerial bombardment in order to unsettle them. This as of now seems quite unlikely though.
Army has been a bit of a surprise package and recorded their first win last week, after suffering four narrow defeats. Ironically this week’s game against the UCL will be a must win situation for Army SC if they are to hold on to their fourth position. As I have said before the UCL has some talented players’ man for man, but have failed to fire as a single unit. Army whilst having lost four previous games, have obtained six bonus points and this could prove to be quite handy in the final analysis. The outcome of this game is tough to predict as the Army pack is pretty mobile and they possess some quality runners in their three quarters.
Police will are on a roll and I am sure that they will do nothing silly against the CH this week. They will obviously look to consolidate their position and aim for the fourth position in the league which is currently occupied by Army. In fact the tussle for the fourth slot as of now will hinge around CR/Police and Army with UCL having a mathematical chance of getting there. CH is having yet another nightmare of a season and the club think tank would need to get their act to together as once again they appear destined for the last spot. As much as winning is habitual, losing too, is infectious, and CH now appears to be in a position from where they find it difficult to extricate themselves. It’s a shame as this club too boasts of many quality players in the past who have gone on to represent the country as well. Some forward thinking, plenty of sponsorship money to attract the right talent appears to be the need of the hour.
(The writer can be contacted at [email protected])
