Kandy SC face fierce challenge from Havies

S.M. Jiffrey ABDEEN, Kandy Sports Corr.

It should be anybody's game when the current league champions Havelocks Sports Club take on the defending Clifford Cup knock-out champions Kandy Sports Club in the finals of the Dialog knock-out tournament for the Clifford Cup to be played at the Bogambara Stadium, Kandy today, October 7 (Sunday) with the kick off at 4.15 p.m.

In view of the poor light conditions after 5.30 p.m. up in the Hill Capital these days, it would be advisable to start this match earlier than the normal time so that play need not be watched in darkness during the last quarter of the game.

Though Havelocks Sports Club have already won the Dialog League title after over two decades which broke the run of 11 successive title win by Kandy Sports Club, they will find this finals a tough game as the Kandyans are determined to settle that ignominy of 50-19 defeat they suffered in the hands of the Park Club in the return game last month. So Kandy Sports Club will go out with vengeance and this will provide the sparks.

Kandy Sports Club led by fullback Saliya Kumara have been playing extremely well in this year's Clifford Cup Tournament as they have been reeling off virtual cricket scores. They beat CR & FC 85-5 and next trounced Police Sports Club 53-8 in one sided semi-finals at the Bogambara Stadium. Their forwards combined well with the three-quarters especially in the second which resulted in the glut of tries and their dynamic fly half. Fazil Marija in addition to his judicious kicking has excelled in loose play with his ability to slice through any defence.

Havelocks Sports Club had a fairly easy time against Sri Lanka Air Force, but was given a torrid time by the newcomers Up Country Lions before scraping through to victory by the smallest of margins 32-31. Havelocks SC led 32-21 till the last quarter of game, but the Up Country ruggerites came back into the game scoring two tries, but lost their cause when they failed to goal both. Had they added the extra points to at least one of them, then they would have created history by entering the finals of the Clifford Cup rugby tournament in their year of debut.

All in all it is going to be a bruising battle and top class rugby is in store for the rugby fans and this match also will signal the end of another club rugby season.

The teams:

Havelocks Sports Club: Henry Terrence (Captain), Rajiv Perera, Dushmantha Priyadharshana or Liston Karunanayake, Kavinda Jayasena, Shenal Dias or Shaffie Jhan, Dhiren Warnakulasuriya, Sudharshana Muthuthaanthri, Aitu Nissan, Bizwan Meedin and Niroshan Fernando, Mithun Hapugodage, Lee Keegal, Niva Tausa, Chamara Dabare and Mohammed Sheriff.

Kandy Sports Club: Kishore Jehan, Anuranga Walpola, Rio Hema Latu, Senaka Bandara, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Asitha Ratnayake, Heshan Silva, Sean Wijesinghe, Saliya Kumara and Fazil Marija, Nuwan Hettiarachchi, Pradeep Liyanage, Gayan Weeraratne, Mohamed Jabbar, and Tharindu Chanaka.