Kandy favoured to topple Sharks at Beliatta today

By Hafiz Marikar

RUGBY: Kandy Sports Club vs Hambantota Sharks Rugby Club - Kandy are favoured to topple Sharks Rugby Club this evening. Former champs Kandy Sports Club, after their resounding win over defending champions Navy Sports Club on latter's ground, are favoured against the Sharks Rugby Club, in the "A" division first round match at Belliatta, kick off is at 4.00 pm.

Kandy S.C. Will be aiming to build on last weekend's victory. It's now been twenty two years since they shocked the country's rugby scene. In the Kandy group, there are rules that everyone should respect," coach "Johan", who they like a lot for his knowledge. When you play in the Kandy team you have to be beyond reproach and respectful on and off the field.

With all Kandy Sports Club players keyed up, they should give a repeat performance, under the tutelage of Johan Taylor, the Nittawela boys are playing some good quality rugby. Attack is their forte and it is nice to see them making attacking moves from their own 'twenty two'. The second phase play of the Nittawela Club was superb in the last game, and with a team of fit and knowledgeable players, Kandy Sports Club is expected to go places.

Today, the Sharks Rugby Club are likely to find most of their problems coming from up front where Kandy Sports Club have shown tremendous fire from young fit and willing forwards who can push the Shark's pack to break point with their fierce loose play and speed with the ball. Indeed, it was this that took wind out of the Sailors last week.

For Kandy SC - With all their options wide, all eyes will be on last week's match winner Chris Cloete, whose two tries against Sailors a week ago showed how difficult to stop, when he gets the ball in space, and he could make hay against the Sharks. Every fan hopes that the Kandy side will play with a ambition.

Kandy's scoring strength line lies in back division. If Kandy's forwards can provide decent ball to their backs, then a player to watch is Fazil Marija, a superb finisher and one of the quickest players in the game. He has made a name for himself. They will undoubtedly throw a 'net' over them, particularly the brilliant South African Chris Cloete, who has showed how they should play and how one should have handled the ball in the last game.

So, expect him to carry that form into this game. Kandy's ruggerites are strong ball carriers and will be expected to get the side over the gain line.

For Sharks - It is going to be a hard evenings work. The might have to spend more time defending than in attack in this game. Amjad Buksh is regarded as one of the top midfielders and should make an impact with his strong rugby knowledge together with Jantih Jayasooriya, Naveen Pulukkutiarchchi, Priyantha Ekanayake and Joseph Dunn who should work out something that can deceive the Kandy Sports Club defence, which has some solid tacklers.

Today Sharks are likely to find most of their problems coming from up front where the Kandy side has shown tremendous fire.

Head-to-head:

The Kandy side might not be at full strength but, they have a good set of replacements for a major boost. The Sharks back row will have a tough battle.

Prediction: Kandy ruggerites have been more conservative than usual so far this November, but this might be the game where they open up against an under strength team. Expect the backs to run in a few tries.

TEAMS:

KANDY SC: - (team will be picked from) - Diminthri Wijesinghe, Piyumal Manchanayake, Kishore Jehan, Damith Dissanayake, Uchitha Jayasuriya, Gyan Ratnayake, Sashika Jayawardene, Dinuk Perera, Sean Wijesinghe (Capt), Asitha Ratnayake, Tharindu Chathuranga, Chris Cloete, Roshan Weeraratne, Saliya Kumara, Fazil Marija, Arshad Jamaldeen, Damine Ratwatte, Gyan Weeraratne, Pradeep Liyanage, Buvaneka Udangamuwa, Anuruddha Wilwara, Ishan Perera, Lavanga Perera, Drashana Ettipola, Nigel Ratwatte, Quntion Crocker (Johan Taylor-Coach).

Hambathota Sharks Rugby Club - Udaya Kumara, Rizwan Nazar, Dimal Jayasinghe, Janik Jayasooriya (Capt), Pubudu Kodagoda, Mohamed Rizvi, Lahiru Madugalle, Panduka Angammana, Amjad Buksh, Priyantah Ekanayake, Emori Waqavulagi, Joseph Dunn, Lahiru Sachintha, Salinda Ekanyake, Ramadas Rumesh

(Nilfer Ibrahim-Coach)