The confrontation between the two unbeaten teams in the Dialog ‘A’ division inter-club rugby league rugby tournament Navy Sports Club and Havelock Sports Club should turn out to be a thriller under lights at Havelock Park today. Kick-off is at 6:30pm.
The Sailors who had a spectacular 37-32 victory against defending champions Kandy SC in their first round game last week came back to their normal pattern of play from their very first match of the season beating Police SC 29-8. Navy are determined to pull off a morale-boosting win while the Havies side which registered a hard fought 37-26 victory against Army SC last week will have to be at their very best if they are to topple the high riding Sailors in their own den. Going by the two team’s performance so far a close tussle for supremacy can be expected.
The forte of Navy has been their power-packed forwards. The Navy ‘eight’ especially lanky Supun Peiris, Nivanka Prasad, skipper Roshan Ranasinghe, Kasun de Silva, Dulanjana Wijesinghe, Stefan Gregory, Sathya Ranatunga, Sajith Saranga and omnipresent Danushka ‘Gertha’ Perera have given a terrific display in the loose.
Today they will be up against the Havies forwards spearheaded by burly skipper Dushmantha Priyadarshana ‘Bodhi’ ably supported by Sudarshana Muthuthanthri, Ashen Darling, Jason Meldor, Prasath Madushanka, Sharo Fernando, Shenal Deeelaka, and Ganindu Lakshan.
In the set scrums the experienced Navy hooker Dulanjana Wijesinghe should get the better of his vis-a-vis Prasath Madusanka while in the line outs the Sailors will have the edge in securing ball position through their line out jumpers in Supun Peiris and Sajith Saranga over the Havies duo of Sharo Fernando and Ganindu Lakshan.
With the halves combination of Richie Dharmapala and Chanaka Chandimal having clicked very well in the last few matches the Navy outfit will hope that Dharmapala will set his three quarters in motion at every turn as they have two hard running centres in Lee Keegal and Lahiru Herath in addition to experienced wingers Buddhima Piyaratne and Saliya Hadapangoda who has stood out with their powerful runs down the flank with full back Thilina Weerasinghe often joining the line to form the overlap.
Teams:
Navy SC (Probable XV): Roshan Ranasinghe (Captain) or Stefan Gregory, Dulanjana Wijesinghe, Kasun de Silva, Supun Peiris, Sathya Ranatunga, Sajith Saranga, Danushka ‘Gertha’ Perera, Nivanka Prasad, Richie Dharmapala and Chanaka Chandimal, Buddhima Piyaratne, Lee Keegal, Lahiru Herath, Saliya Handapangoda ‘Para’, Thilina Weerasinghe, Head Coach: Mothilal Jayathilake, Asst.Coach: Dev Anandh
Havelocks (Probable XV): Dushmantha Priyadarshana ‘Bodhi’ (Captain), Prasath Madushanka, Ashan Darling, Ganindu Lakshan, Sharo Fernando, Shenal Deelaka, Sudarshana Muthuthanthri, Lasindu Ishan, Sudam Sooriarachchi and Niroshan Fernando, Chamara Dabare, Nishon Perera, Hirantha Perera, Kevin ‘Kutty’ Dixon, Mithun Hapugoda, Coach: Ronnie Ibrahim.