Defending champs Kandy take on an improved CH side

S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen, Kandy Sports Cor.

An exciting game is in store when the defending Caltex Rugby League Champions Kandy Sports Club take on the much improved CH and FC in an inter club rugby league match to be played at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium, Kandy today (Sunday) at 4.30 pm. This will be also the inter club match of the season at Nittawela.

Though in the recent past Kandy has been scoring comfortable victories over the CH and FC but this year they will be a different proposition as they have strengthened their side by the inclusion of two foreign players and in addition to this, they have also obtained the services of some of the talented young ruggerites in the country.

This augurs well for the future of the game as the spectators would like to witness hard fought battles and not a ‘one horse race’.

Before the commencement of the game both teams will be introduced to the Chief Guest of the match former Sri Lanka and Kandy SC stalwart Indrajith Bandaranayake who is here on a short holiday.

Kandy Sports Club will be led in this match by flanker Buddhika Talagampola in the absence of the official captain Saliya Kumara and Kandy will miss his services. Kandy Sports Club will not have the services of flanker Dilip Selvam who was injured during the tail end of last season and may not turn out for the club again.

Also missing from the squad are prop Eranda Swarnatillake, Anuruddha Willawara, Keith Gurusinghe and Anaranga Walpola. But Kandy Sports Club has a formidable unit and have the potential to hold their own against any team.

Last week Kandy Sports Club scored a narrow 13-8 win over Havelocks Sports who in turn scored a comfortable over Sri Lanka Army on Friday.

Kandy Sports Club will look to skipper Buddhi Talagampola, Sri Lanka skipper Sean Wijesinghe, Fazil Marija, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Kishore Jehan, Amila Bandara, Pradeep Liyanage, Sajith Saranga and Nuwan Hettiarachchi to deliver the goods.

CH and FC will be led by that crack centre three quarter Lakala Perera who could also man the last line of defence.

Though CH and FC lost their last game to CR and FC but they put up a great fight. They will have the services of two top foreigners in Ernest Ngong and Illiesa Salu Salu. In addition to this duo they will also have the top ruggerites like Arjuna Bopitiya, Nilusha Fernando, Tuan Shamrook and Avantha Hettiarachchi.

With both teams well balanced, a cruising battle is in store for the rugger fans.

KANDY SC (from): Kishore Jehan, Achala Perera, Arvinda Udangamuwa, Mohammed Rizvi, Buddhi Talagampola (captain), Senaka Bandara, Sajith Saranga, Sean Wijesinghe, Shashika Jayawardena, Roshan Weeraratne, Krishantha Rajapakse, Prasad Chathuranga, Fazil Marija, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Pradeep Liyanage, Amila Bandara, Gayan Weeraratne, Mohammed Jabbar, Nuwan Hettiarachchi and Kusal Rankothge.

CH and FC (from): Shane Samandapperuma, Janaka de Silva, Aruna Bopitiya, Chanaka Bandara, Chamindra Herath, Nilusha Fernando, Mohammed Rizkhan, Ernest Ngong, (No. 8), Tuan Shamrock and Arafath Meedin, Lakala Perera, Illiesa Salu Salu, Avantha Hettiarachchi, Ameen Jameel, Indika Udayakumara.