Hot contenders for the inter-club League rugby title CR and FC have decided to admit rugby fans free of charge to witness their deciding match against defending champions Kandy SC at Longden Place in Colombo today with kick-off scheduled for 4.15 pm.
An official of CR told the Sunday Observer that all their previous home matches were also open free of charge to the public.
The free entrance has been attributed to a drastic drop in spectator interest at club rugby which if not addressed could lead to a further drop in crowd attendance.
The traditional and most looked forward to match over the years between CR and Havelocks that pulled in crowds by the thousands in past seasons drew less than 400 spectators this year according to an official.
CR are the favourites to win today having last won the League title in 1998 and missed winning the prize by just half a point in 2010 with current coach Dushanth Lewke as captain.
CR leads the points table with 52 points while Kandy SC has 48 and the winner takes it all unless the home team bags a bonus point while losing with four tries or within an eight point margin.
Both sides are expected to be at full strength.
The squads:
Kandy SC: Malitha Wijesundara, Thilina. Bandara, Milan Weerasinghe, Wawala Panditha, C. Soysa, C. Kudalige, Jason Dissanayake, Dahan Wickremaarachchi, Nigel Ratwatte, Heshan Jansen, L. Ranaweera, Dinal Ekanayake, Tharinda Ratwatte, Lavanga Perera (captain), Dilaksha Dange, Srinath Sooriyabandara, A. Mohamad, D. Fareed, M. Chandradasa, Fawmy Wajid, Shanushka Abeywickrama, Suranga Tennakoon, O. Perera, Dhanushka Ranjan
CR & FC – Sugath Nanayakkara, Amith Gunasinghe, S. Perera, Thejuka Nanayakkara, Yasas Kavindu, Lasindu Karunathilake, C. Muthunayake, Adeesha Weerathunga, S. Adikaram, Soyuru Anthony (captain), E. Harshana, I. Ariyapala, Naveen Marasinghe, Kavindu de Costa, Malintha Ruberu, Gemunu Chethiya, Zuhair Doray, R. Ekanayake, K. Tharindu, T. Mariyadas, R. Senanayake, W. de Mel, Rinesh Silva, Randy Silva, Raveen de Silva, V. Kodagoda
