Kandy favourites but, remember the cup, lip and the slip
Kandy will be hoping to throw in their full strength in today’s Clifford Cup semi-final game against the Sailors - File pic
It’s sudden death time. After today’s expected blockbuster between the champion Kandy side and the Navy, one team will go through to the final at the Racecourse. Given their invincibility thus far, that team is likely to be Kandy SC. Yet, nothing should be taken for granted, as the Sailors, too, have some very talented players. Their backs may be to the wall, but the Sailors are a fighting unit. Unlike Kandy, which usually wins by a mile, the Sailors have plenty of experience of indulging in crunch, tense matches. 18-16 and 20-2 against Havelocks, 21-20 and 25-27 against CR and FC. The Navy lost both League games to Kandy, the scores being 10-29 at Nittawela and 8-19 at Welisara.
So, there is sufficient stimulus for Dhanushka Perera’s team to try and upend the champions. The pack has players such as Sajith Saranga (once a Kandy SC player), Dhanushka Perera (another ‘expatriate’), former Trinitian Satya Ranatunga and last year’s schoolboy sensation Omalka Gunaratne. The last named was making a smooth transition from school rugby to club rugby when he was caught up in an unfortunate situation. Thankfully that’s so much water under the bridge and he can concentrate on what he does best – playing rugger.
Chanaka Chandimal, Dinusha Chaturanga, Hashan Maduranga and Lee Keegal are the prominent players in the back division. Thilina Weerasinghe, a product of Kingswood, is a full back and place-kicker who has created a favourable impression. All in all, the Navy seems to be in a position where they can give as good as they get. No weak links, no inadequacies, the Kandy machine has been purring smoothly. All the nuts and bolts are in place.
There was some concern sometime back about the pack. However, according to Lasantha Wijesuriya (the chairman of the Rugby Committee), those problems have been attended to and, at this point in time, it is functioning well. One of Kandy’s strengths has been their bench-strength. Earlier it was felt that seeing national players adorning the bench was a shame. The injuries to Fazil Marija and Lavanga Perera and the manner in which they overcome those body-blows, speaks for the fore-sight of the club officials.
Nigel Ratwatte’s seamless transition from being a good player to one of brilliance has been one of the plus points for Kandy. Marija’s absence has (almost) not been felt and that is due in no small measure to the strides Ratwatte has made.
Winger Vishvamitra Jayasinghe, quite unstoppable when given the ball and full back Srinath Sooriyabandara are two players who stand out, especially in attack. Richard Dharmapala is a kind of man for all seasons (or player for all positions). The extra cutting edge he lends in Kandy’s attacking moves is decisive.
Number eight Buwaneka Udangamuwa plays a hard-game and is almost always in the thick of things. Suhiru Anthony, a flanker, is another player who gives it his all. He has been a valuable addition to the Kandy SC setup. Nearing the end of the league season, Kandy’s margins of victory kept diminishing. Yet, they did not taste defeat. Being the form team and, moreover, one that has not been vanquished could give rise to a touch of over-confidence. Sean Wijesinghe’s charges would do well to remember that there’s many a slip betwixt the cup and the lip.