Dialog Inter-Club Rugby
Premier League starts November 15
Hambantota Sharks a deadly danger
Chris Dhambarage
Havelocks
Sports Club will face a daunting task in their attempt to retain the coveted
league title for the second successive year when the Sri Lanka Rugby Football
Union (SLRFU) organised Dialog Inter-Club Rugby Premier League Tournament gets
underway on November 15 in Colombo
The
Havies created a major sensation last season as they went on to clinch the ‘A’
division league championship after a lapse of many years while overcoming some
of the more fancied teams.
However
this time Havelocks SC will be under tremendous pressure and will confront the
newcomers Hambantota Sharks in the curtain-raiser match of the tournament on
November 15 under lights at Havelock
Park
In fact
the number of teams participating in the league tournament has now increased to
ten with the Hambantota Sharks coming into the scene and also tipped to
create a couple of surprises during the
first round.
The
Havies of course will miss the services of their veteran coach Tavita Tulagaese
(Laga) who has moved to Longden
Place
Havelocks
SC will have a new Tongan coach cum trainer Paula Kaho for the new season and
few other foreign players including Tongan centre three quarter Aisea Hava who
recently represented Japan in the HSBC Asian Five Nations Rugby Tournament.
In
addition they will have the services of some outstanding players in the calibre
of last year’s captain Henry Terrence, national players Shenal Dias, Sandun
Herath, Chamara Dabare, Shehan Pathirana, Mohammed Sheriff and seasoned
campaigners Ashen Karthelis and Kavinda Jayasena.
Meanwhile
former champions and last year’s runner-up Kandy Sports Club will come out for
the first time when they take on CH and FC in their opening match of the
tournament on November 16 at the Nittawela Stadium.
Kandy SC
of course will start their campaign under the guidance of new coach Neil Foote
but will have the services of several national players including Sri Lanka
sevens captain Fazil Marija.
However
the pick of the matches during the opening week will be the high profile
confrontation between CR and FC and the Up Country Lions SC on November 16 at
the Jayathilaka Stadium in Nawalapitiya.
The Up
Country Lions SC put up a stunning performance on their ‘A’ division debut last
season to finish fourth in the final points table and was knocked out in the
semi-finals of the Clifford Cup Tournament by Havelocks Sports Club by a
solitary point 32-33.
CR and FC
are hoping to produce an improved performance after their last year’s debacle
with the return of several Sri Lanka players including former Sri Lanka skipper
Dushanth Lewke, Sri Lanka winger Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Kasun de Silva, Anuja
Perera and former Sri Lanka full back Reza Mubarak.
Meanwhile
Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club is another team which will be making a determined
effort to win the league title as they will take on Sri Lanka Air Force Sports
Club on November 16 at Welisara.
The
Sailors captained by third row forward Rohitha Rajapaksa will once again field
a star-studded line-up last year's Sri Lanka
Team Captain Coach
Havelocks
SC Dhiran
Warnakulasuriya Paula
Kaho
Navy SC Rohitha Rajapaksa Stefano
Up
Country Lions SC Srinath
Sooriyabandara Imthisham
Marikar
Police SC
Jeewan Amaradasa Nizam
Jamaldeen
CR and FC
Ishan Noor Tavita Tulagaese (Laga)
CH and FC
Indika Udayakumara Sanath Martis
Sharks SC To be named Nihan
Gunaratne
The 1st week fixtures:
November 15: Havelocks SC v Hambanthota Sharks
SC at Havelock Park
November 16: Navy SC v Air Force SC at
Welisara, Up Country Lions SC v CR and FC at Nawalapitiya, Kandy SC v CH and FC
at Nittawela, Army SC v Police SC at Diyagama
No comments:
Post a Comment