’D’ Day has arrived... Kandy or CR for plum ?

by Lal Gunesekera

’D Day’ has arrived for the two leading rugby clubs in the country, Kandy Sports Club and CR & FC. The Mecca of the sport in Sri Lanka, Longden Place, is the venue today (Sunday) for a titanic tussle for supremacy between these two clubs who are fighting-it-out for the Caltex League Rugby Championship with the kick-off at 4.30 p.m.

Can Kandy win the title which they have won since 2001 or will CR be able to regain it after a long lapse of eight years (they won in 1998 under Champika Nishantha)?

The aspirations of the ‘Red Shirts’ somewhat evaporated last week when they suffered a humiliating 5-9 defeat at the hands of Havelocks whom they had trounced 62-7 earlier in the first-round. They lost to Kandy by a single digit (14-15) at Nittawela.

Kandy were held to a 13-all draw by CH & FC in the first-round at Maitland Crescent.

What does this all mean? Kandy are ahead by 4 points (22.50 to CR’s 18.50) in the points table. If CR does win today’s battle, they will be on level with Kandy, but then, it boils down to the issue of bonus points to decide the ultimate champions of the League title.

A win for Kandy will assure them the title, but for CR to regain the League, a win itself is insufficient. They need to win by at least four tries and also by a margin of six points and not allow Kandy to score more tries than them.

This is a fact and a tremendous battle is on the card for the thousands of spectators who are certain of making the trip to Longden Place this evening to witness some red hot rugby.

CR has the psychological advantage. Not only will they have the crowd support, but also the satisfaction of beating Kandy 20-8 on home ground in the first-round last year and are certain of launching an all out assault on the Kandy defence. They have a terrific set of forwards where the third-row comprising skipper Pavithra Fernando, Walpola (No. 8) and Ashan Karthelis together with second-rower Savantha de Saram has been outstanding. Ex-Kandy player Amjad Buksh and Sarifudeen are an adequate halves combination, but centre Sheriff must realise to give the ball out faster than what he did against Havelocks.

He must realise that rugby is a team game not meant for selfishness. In Asanga Rodrigo, CR, has a player who uses his brain in both attack and defence.

Kandy too possess a top class side. Led by centre Sajith Mallikarachchi, they have some of the speediest runners in the game in the calibre of Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Vithanage, Sameera Silva or Eranda Weerakoddy, but the bug bear of the ‘Red Shirts’ could well be Kandy’s full-back Nalaka Weerakoody, a reliable place-kicker, but suspect under pressure, which could be captalised by the ?Red Shirts?. Their forwards are a tough set with Senaka Bandara, Imran Bisthamin, Sean Wijesinghe, Dushan Lewke (No. 8) and Dhanushka Perera outstanding.

CR and FC: Eranga Dharmatilleke, Viraj Prashantha, Shamil Mohamed or Dhanushka Boteju, Anuradha Dharmatilleke and Savantha de Saram, Ashan Karthelis, Anuradha Walpola and Pavithra Fernando (captain), Amjad Buksh and Omar Sarifudeen, Ravindra Wekadapola, Mohamed Sheriff, Rajith Jayasundera, Suranga Pushpakumara and Asnga Rodrigo.

Kandy SC: Jeewa Galgamuwa, Mohamed Buksh, Saranath Hettiarachchi, Senaka Bandara and Bisthamin, Sean Wijesinghe, Dushan Lewke and Dhanushka Perera; Nilufer Ibrahim and Fazil Marija, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Sajith Mallikaratchchi (captain), Chamara Vithanage, Eranda Weerakoddy or Sameera Silva, Nalaka Weerakoddy.

Referee: Nizam Jamaldeen.