Kandy readies for titanic battle

Inter Club League highest try scorer Dhanushka Ranjan on his way to plant another one against CH & FC

Inter Club League 2018/2019

Defending League, Clifford Cup knock champions and currently unbeaten, Kandy Sports Club will play their last first round home game against an unbeaten Havelock Sports Club on 16December. 

Both teams have won all their five matches played so far. Credit should be given to the Park Club who lost as many as 10 players from their last year’s outfit to other clubs in Colombo and still put up a brave effort under their tactful Head Coach, Sanath Martis.

Kandy the defending champions had a shaky start against Air Force and Police but settled by re-grouping and playing with a better coordination between the forwards and three quarter line. They were never short of talent but they took time to settle. 

But the two home games against tough opponents CR& FC and CH & FC has put the Up Country team in commanding position in the league this year around. Already CH & FC dropped out of the race by losing four of their games while CR & FC too conceded with two defeat and their glimmer of hopes has faded away. Same scenario could be the case for the Sailors as well.

Sayuru Anthony, Uchithra Jayasuirya, Yakoob Ali, Shehan Pathirana, Heshan Kalhara and Buwanka Udangamuwa being at their peak. In fact Shehan Pathirana and Buwanka being omnipresent they been equally good in defense as well in attack which kept many sides away from breaching their defence. 

Meanwhile they have the luxury of having the best three quarter line among the clubs. Nigel Ratwatte, Dhanushka Ranjan, Richard Dharmapala, Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Arshard Jamaldeen, Lavanga Perera and the return of Anurudha Wilwara– a coach cannot ask for any more than this. Their place kicker, Thilina Wijesinghe too in peak form could put pressure on the visiting team.

Meanwhile the Park club having lived up to top expectation is led by Niroshan Fernando well supported by workhorse, Sharo Fernando, Dinuk Amarasinghe, Chamra Dabare, Reza Mubarak, Mithun Hapugoda and try machine Dushmantha Priyadharshana. Team work being the key among the youngsters though not having many big names could give some tough time to the home team but Kandy is expected to pull it off in the end.

Walk in the park for Red Shirts

Red Shirts after their lacklustre performance last weekend is expected to return to form with a game against the eighth-placed Air Force outfit. CR should not start testing their players with position. 

They paid heavily after playing Tharinda Ratwatte at centre where he was off colour but returned to form later in the game at his pet position of fly half. Omalka Gunaratne, Reza Rafaideen, Joel Perera and skipper Kavindu Perera need to be on top of the game if they want to have any hope of league claim, conceding two games already to Kandy and Havies.

Meanwhile Air Force will depend on Seelagama and Iddamalgoda to take them through and avoid the last position which haunting them for too long now. On form CR should be home safely.

Army hold the edge

Army will need to be with full of energy and should never take the Cops lightly. Cops though winning only one game they have put almost all the sides including the defending champions, Kandy SC under pressure at some time of their game. Battle between the two services could be a thriller on the cards but the Soldiers with their superior fitness are expected to pull it off.

Close battle expected at CH vs Navy encounter

There can be no favourite team when the Sailors host CH & FC at Welisara. Many of the last year players from Navy now crossed over to CH & FC will be action in grudge battle. Thilina Weerasinghe will lead the home team and expected to be at his peak in his place kicks and to gain the territorial advantage through his booming touch kicks. CH on the other hand put everything out in their game against Kandy last weekend could face injury worries. Muthuthanthri, Yoshitha, Sudam, Herath and Maduwantha are crack players. Head Coach Ronny should try to use Maduwantha at stand off to keep the ball being much faster without putting undue pressure on the three quarter line. (SJ)