Unbeaten CR face Police in Clifford Cup semis
The unbeaten League champions CR and FC will look to move closer towards winning their second title this season when they lock horns with Police Sports Club in the first semi-final of the Clifford Cup Knock-out Rugby Tournament at the Racecourse Grounds in Colombo today. The kick-off is at 4.00 p.m.
CR and FC, with a young outfit, under Suhiru Anthony have had a grand season, winning all 10 matches so far and remaining unbeaten while winning the League title after a lapse of 26 years.
The CR and FC outfit is coached by the former Royalist and the present Royal College Head Coach, Dushanth Lewke, who will be keen to have a clean sheet this season.
After Kandy Sports Club pulled out of the Clifford Cup Knockout Tournament, due to a venue dispute, the contest became a one-horse race for the Longden Place Club.
The Red Shirts have some outstanding players in their starting line-up. Players such as Mursheed Doray, Randy Silva, Adeesha Weerathunge and Lasindu Karunathilake could be a dream for any coach to have on their side.
Meanwhile, Police SC, who won the Plate Championship earlier, will be determined to make a match out of it under their Head Coach, Nilfer Ibrahim.
Mohan Wimalaratne leads the Cops and they will be banking on players of the calibre of Akash Madushanka, Shane Hopwood, Hirantha Perera and Sachith Silva - all top-class performers who are expected to give a good run for the Red Shirts.
Police SC are good at spreading the game and playing at the same pace for 80 minutes. The territorial game could be vital and the team settling first in the hot and humid Colombo conditions will have a slight advantage to pull it off and secure their date for the Cup final this weekend.