Kandy at full strength against underdog CH

by Hafiz Marikar

Kandy Sports Club will field a strong side when they kick off the new Inter Club League rugby season against CH and FC today at Nittawela.

Kandy has named an incredibly experienced side to face CH and FC under skipper Fazil Marija while CH and FC with some new faces will be led by flanker M Rifkhan.

Kandy and CH have played each other at rugby since 1950. From the 1960s to 1980s it was CH and FC who dominated after which Kandy called the shots from 1992. In 1995 at Nittawela in front of a mammoth crowd Kandy under the captaincy of Priyantha Ekanayake were able to pocket the John Player League rugby plum for the second successive year by beating CH 13-3.

It was a tensed and exciting game right up to the final whistle and the atmosphere was electrifying ending in a story book finish.The best try of the game came by way of a scintillating 30-metre run by Kandy's center Etonia Qoro who scored under the posts.

There was very little that the rival three-quarters could do. The defences of both teams were tight and unyielding. There was Qoro, Mille, Indrajith Bandaranayake and Imthi Marikar keeping a close watch on CH's Sudesh, Uene and Simon.

CH and FC matched their opponents but Kandy's pack led by Priyantha Ekanayake, who played the game of his life, together with forwards Kitti, Dunstan, Shantha, Duminda, Sudantha and centre Qoro played an inspiring allround game.

Qoro scored both tries and Upul Wijesiri did his part well from the fullback's position.

CH's Sudesh Abeysinghe who collected three points through his boot failed with three other penalties while Simon Hunter failed with one.

Sudesh Abeysinghe, Pradeep de Alwis , Baratha Hegoda, Azed Junker, Janile Taniles and Nalin Dissanayake gave their best, but the home team's superior attack foiled them.

Teams:

Kandy: Pumal Manchanayake, Damitha Dissanayake, Kishor Jehan, D Wijetunge, Gayan Ratnayake, Heshan Silva, Soyura Anthony, Sashika Jayawardene or Asitha Ratnayake, Buwanaka Udangamuwa, Roshan Weeraratne, Fazil Marija (captain), Danusha Daya, Lavanga Perera, Gayan Weeraratne, Vishwamitra Jayasinghe, Nigel Ratwattte, Saliya Kumara.

CH and FC: Steve Nelson, M.Nizmin, Udesh Perera, Tharindu Hasaranga, G. Gandu, Andrew Siriwardena, M. Faran, M Rifkhan Sideek (captain), S.Migara, Viraj Hewage, A. Aakash, Udara Madushanka, Gazali Ifthikar, Lahiru Prasad, H. Godfrey, O Perera, Sajith Bandara, Chathura Wakadapola, Rohan Samuel, G. Gihan, Preveende Silva, Marlon de Silva and S. Chandimal