Will Inter Club League 2016/2017 be a one horse race?

By Shamseer Jaleel

Club rugby is scheduled to be kicked off this Friday and all eyes are on the defending triple champions Kandy Sports Club. The biggest question posed by many rugby fans is whether it will be a one-sided affair. With the up-country outfit having more than 12 national players in their starting line-up, it seems impossible to have a go at them. In their last attempt they have signed Dhanushka Ranjan, Jason Dissanayake and Kanchana Ramanayake. The closest rivalry Kandy can expect is from CR as Havies and Navy lost their mobility on some key players switching clubs.

Many argue that Kandy taking custody of top players from other clubs is unfair. However, these days any player could be bid on and recruited. The Kandy rugby structure is highly professional and attracts many youngsters due to their salaries, team discipline, well equipped gym, strong Rugby Committee and big sponsors.

Navy last succeeded as league champions in 2013/2014 and with their current set of players it will be tough for them to finish in the top three. They will not have Omalka Gunaratnein, their starting fifteen, as he will be wearing the Red Jersey at Longdon place this season. This leaves Dhanushka Perera, Dinushka Chathuranga, Chanaka Chandimal, Suranga Pushapakumara and Lee Keegale to support skipper Roshan Ranasinghe who was inconsistent the last few seasons due to his injury. Sailors have signed up Sri Lanka Youth players Buddima Piyaratne and Isuru Congahawatte. Mothilal Jayathilake will be their Head Coach. Finishing in the top four will be a great credit for the Welisara outfit.

Though was highly ranked with some outstanding players, the Police never clicked as a unit or lived up to expectations last season. They will be heavily depending on Former Kingswoodian Hooker Achala Perera, his schoolmates Mohamed Abzal, Reza Rafaideen, Musheen Faleel and Radeesha Seneviratne to deliver the goods. They have also signed some young prospects who left school just last season. Once again, a top four ending is expected from the Cops with the former Sri Lanka Navy scrum half and National Junior Coach Sudath Sampath taking charge of the side.

Havelocks will feel the pinch as they have lost their best player Dhanushka Ranjan to Kandy but they are never short of talent with players such as Sudharshan Muthuthanthri, Dulaj Perera, Hirantha Perera, Mithun Hapugoda, Kevin Dixon and Yoshitha Rajapakse forming the backbone of the club this season. They will have national youth players such as Nishon Perera, Lasindu Ishan, Vimukthi Rahula to add mobile towards the outfit. They will be coached by former Kingswood Police SC player Ronny Ibrahim.

The ‘Red Shirts’ - despite losing out on Jason Dissanayake and Kanchana Ramanayake both opting to get back to where they learnt their basics in the Hill Capital - are never short of talent, having taken on players such as Omalka Gunaratne. They will be coached by former Scotland player MacDougall. Former Trinity winger Inthi Marikar took lot of pain to put the Longdon Place outfit in the top three is the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) High Performance Coaching Director at present. Red Shirts will have Sudam Sooriyarachchi, Tharinda Ratwatte, evergreen Ishan Noor, Kavindu De Costa, Ashan de Costa, Kavindu Perera, Banuka Nanayakkara, Omalka Gunaratne, Shasan Mohamed, Rochana Hettiarachchi, AnuradhaHerath and Reza Mubarak in their starting line-up.

Kandy will be led by former Kingswoodian and Sri Lanka scrum half Roshan Weeraratne with the backing of local rugby stars like Kishore Jehan, ShehanPathirana, Srinarth Sooriyabandara, Nigel Ratwatte, Gayan Weeraratne, Dhanushka Ranjan, Richard Dharmapala, Kanchana Ramanayake and Lavanga Perera. They will be once again by coached by Sean Wijesinghe with NalakaWeerakody and Saliya Kumara assisting them. 

November 4

Police vs. Navy at Police Park 

Referee Aruna Rankothge

November 5

Kandy vs. CH&FC at Race Course 

Referee Rohan Fernando

Air Force vs. Havelocks at Ratmalana

Referee Priyantha Gunaratne

November 6

CR & FC vs. Army SC at Diyagama

Referee Dinka Peiris