Can the sailors run on the Park Club?
Inter Club League champions Navy SC and third placed Havelocks Sports Club will lock horns in the Dialog Clifford Cup Knockout grand finals today at the Race Course rugby grounds with the kickoff scheduled for 6.30pm.
This Clifford Cup which is 103 years old was first offered by Lady Clifford in 1911, the cup to be played in honour of her birthday (August 26). This trophy was with CPRFU (Central Province Rugby Football Union (CPRFU) until 1950 when the CPRFU opened the competition to all the clubs in the country. In the initial years CR&FC and Havelocks SC dominated the proceedings.
The battle will also be a crucial faceoff for former S. Thomas’ team mates Rohitha Rajapaksa (with headgear) and Sudarshana Muthuthanthri (7), the skippers of Navy and Havies respectively - Pic courtesy of SLRFU
This year Navy is led by former Thomian third row player Rohitha Rajapaksa. Sailors have a solid outfit with some star studded players in their rankings. Players such as Achala Perera, Sathya Ranathunga, Jason Dissanayake, Stefano, Dinusha Chathuranga, Dhanushka Perera, Pushpakumara, Namal Rajapaksa and Bilal Hassan are playing top class rugby this season. They have already won the Inter club League and await their second success this season. If they win this Clifford Cup Knock out trophy it will be the first time the Sailors will be achieving this remarkable feat in a single season.
Both their forwards and three quarters have clicked well and coordination between these two units have been outstanding. If fullback Nuwan Hettiarachchi finds target with his kick at the goal it will be a tough task for the Park Club today evening. The Sailors are coached by former Peterite player Leonard De Zilva who is on the ball with the rapid changes in the oval shaped ball game rules and regulations. Navy SC brushed aside Air Force in the quarter-final in a one sided affair and then got the better of Upcountry SC in the semi-final in a close encounter.
On the other hand Park Club had their ups and downs this season. They too played well but on the losing end in two Navy games and one Kandy game in the league but they got the better of the Kandy in a close semi final encounter by 22-16. In the quarter-final they overcame Army SC. On the Park Club players in top form are Terence Henry, Niroshan Fernando, Sandun Herath, Chamara Dabare, Mohamed Sheriff and skipper Muthuthanthri. Former Peterite and Sri Lanka player Sharo Fernando their flanker also has been outstanding. Both his defense as well as attack looks threatening with some super cover tackles. The side which settles down first and fast will have a clear edge today evening. Referee for this game will be Mark Jackson who is from UK based in Bahrain. He controlled the Havies vs Kandy game and CR&FC vs Police league encounters.
Most number of times Kandy (19), CR&FC (13), Havelocks SC (12), Police SC (8), Army SC (8) and CH&FC (8) have won the trophy.
Past winners: 1950 and 1951 (Havelocks), 1952 (CR&FC), 1953 (Dimbula), 1954 to 1956 (CR&FC), 1957 (CH&FC), 1958 (CR&FC), 1959 (CR&FC/Dimbula), 1960 (CH&FC), 1961 (Havelocks), 1962 (CH&FC), 1963 and 1964 (Havelocks), 1965 and 1966 (CR&FC), 1967 and 1968 (Havelocks), 1969 (CR&FC), 1970 (Police/Havelocks), 1971 (CR&FC), 1972 Police), 1973 (Army/Police), 1974 (Havelocks), 1975 (Army), 1976 to 1978 (Havelocks), 1979 and 1980 (Police), 1981 (Havelocks), 1982 and 1983 (CH&FC), 1984 and 1985 (Police), 1986 (Air Force), 1987 to 1989 (CR&FC), 1990 (CH&FC), 1991 (Police), 1992 and 1993 (Kandy SC), 1994 (CH&FC), 1995 to 1997 (Kandy SC), 1998 (no tournament) 1999 to 2005 (Kandy SC), 2006 (CR&FC), 2007 to 2013 (Kandy SC).