CR RESHUFFLE BACK-LINE AHEAD OF HAVELOCK CLASH
After their defensive frailties were exposed up in Nittawela last week, CR and FC have made a complete reshuffle to their back-line handing fly-half Chanaka Chandimal his first start of the season ahead of their Dialog Inter-club League Rugby Tournament match at Longden Place today (8).
The Red Shirts kept them in the game for the most part but were blown away in the last ten minutes with the Kandy substitutes making a huge difference. In fact, Kandy’s final try which was scored by second row Sashika Jayawardane would have been a bitter pill to swallow. One of the favourite sons of Kandy faithful, Jayawardane not only managed to touch down, but also carried CR and FC’S young wing three quarter Chamod Fernando on his back before crashing over.
Head Coach Nilfer Ibrahim has now brought in Chanaka Chandimal to form a half-combination with Rahul de Silva while Tarinda Ratwatte – the highest points scorer of the division has been moved to midfield to join Rehan Silva. Captain Kavindu Perera will return to wing three at the expense of Chamod Fernando with Kevin Dixon keeping his place at full-back.
The Longden Place Club has not made any changes to their trusted first row consisting of Hafeez Noor, Dulanjana Wijesinghe and Kokila Sammandapperuma while second row Panduka Angammanna has also recovered from a knock to keep his place in the second row along with Shehan Dias.
Mithila Perera has returned to the first XV in place of Shemal Weerasekara who suffered an injury last week, to join Joel Perera and Omalka Gunaratne in the third row.
Gunaratne, the country’s first choice number eight is not having a great season thus far. If Sashika Jayawardane’s try was embarrassing for CR, Kandy’s second try must have felt even worse as Gunaratne had no answer to his opposite number Buwaneka Udangamuwa who burst through to score a vital try. It literally was a slap on his face.
At one stage of his career, the former Isipathana captain was a trymachine. In fact, four years ago, his current CR and FC head coach Ibrahim who coached him at school level claimed that ‘Omalka is the most talented school rugby player I have ever worked with.’ However, in recent times, Gunaratne has failed to be the decisive player for his side, certainly at club level, and he seems to follow in the footsteps of footballer Paul Pogba as the number eight appears to have had more haircuts this season than tries.
Havelock Sports Club on the other hand, have stuck to their trusted starting line-up which has done a brilliant job for them this season.
Vimukthy Rahul continues to keep his place in the first XV ahead of Mithun Hapugoda. Despite some strong substitute performances from Sandesh Jayawickrama, captain Niroshan Fernando remains at fly-half.
Sanath Martis’ side was not seen as a pre-tournament title contender, but after four weeks, instead of fighting for a spot in the top four, they are very much in the race for the title.
Although almost half of their squad left the club at the end of season, their pack remained very strong with former captain Dushmantha Priyadarshana leading the way, but one surprise package has been the mid-field partnership of Dinuk Amarasinghe and Dinushan Ariyapala.
Many teams would probably worry about their pack more than anything else, but Ariyapala and Amarasinghe have produced some scintillating tries thus far. The former St. Anthony’s duo was on fire against CH and FC, and this is a game in which they would have to be on top of their game.
This encounter also provides an opportunity for two of the country’s most successful coaches in Sanath Martis and Nilfer Ibrahim to reignite
The Red Shirts kept them in the game for the most part but were blown away in the last ten minutes with the Kandy substitutes making a huge difference
Havelock Sports Club on the other hand, have stuck to their trusted starting line-up which has done a brilliant job for them this season
their rivalry, this time of course at club level; they probably hate losing to each other.
CR and FC: Hafeez Noor, Dulanjana Wijesinghe, Kokila Sammandapperuma, Shehan Dias, Panduka Angammana, Joel Perera, Mithila Perera, Omalka Gunaratne, Rahul de Silva and Chanaka Chandimal, Reeza Raffaideen, Rehan Silva, Tarinda Ratwatte, Kavindu Perera (C), Kevin Dixon.
HAVELOCK SC: Dushmantha Priyadarshana, Azmir Fajudeen, Liston Flatny, Sharo Fernando, Umesh Madushan, Senal Deelaka, Shawqat Lahir, Lasindu Ishan, Vimukthy Rahul and Niroshan Fernando (C), Chamara Dabare, Dinuk Amarasinghe, Dinushan Ariyapala, Sandun Herath, Riza Mubarak.