Anything but playing for pride – still a lot at stake
Havies beat Navy 26-19 in the first round
“Playing for pride” is an expression commonly used. However, in the case of today’s match between the 2nd and 3rd placed teams- the Havies and the Navy, that expression seems very opposite.
Up to a few weeks back, the Navy were in contention and there was a three-cornered tussle for the top spot in the League. But, a debilitating loss to the eventual (even inevitable) champions, Kandy, scuppered their chances. Morale must have been at a low point. Two weeks later, the Army surprised them, and Navy was, from then on, merely going through the motions.
The Havies were slightly different. They had realistic hopes of being No1, until Kandy put it past them last Sunday. Significantly, Havies have lost only to Kandy, whereas the Navy was able to beat the hill-country team in the 1st round. There is a faint hope that, if they win today, the Sailors will finish 2nd, which is cold comfort. The Navy has scored a point more than the Park Club (435-434). Yet, Priyadarshana’s team has given away 210 points, 90 less than what the Navy has conceded.
Can the Havies lift themselves for this final game, 7 days after their hopes were extinguished? More pertinently, has Dulaj Perera (their inspirational player) recovered from his injury that had such a damaging effect on the team’s performance?
The Havies need not be a one-man team. They boast a backline laden with talent. Nishon Perera pulled out a dandy try, in the teeth of opposition from Kandy, and that goes to prove his effectiveness. Kevin Dixon and winger Chamara Dabare are also proven performers. Flyhalf Niroshan Fernando tended to kick over the defence and into the corner, a bit too often. The Havies did not reap much reward from those efforts. Hirantha Perera, another incisive player, is also around for the Havies.
The Havies pack has some big names, and they have proved their fighting qualities. Muthutantri is always a danger. He’s not one to give up easily. Sharo Fernando is another who puts his life on the line. Others such as Melder, Lakshan and Lasindu Ishan can rough it out with the best.
Certain Rugby followers seem to think the Navy has the best pack of all. That argument is not without merit. They possess an effective, try-scoring hooker in Dulanjana Wijesinghe. Not a game goes by without Wijesinghe touching down. Sajith Saranga is a known quantity, and a dangerous one. Supun Pieris has had a decent season. Dhanushka Perera and flanker Chatura Dilshan are fiery players in the loose.
The Harsha Maduranga-Chanaka Chandimal halves combination has worked well. Crack centre, Lee Keegal is due for a return to his penetrative, try-scoring ways. Co-centre Lahiru Herath has been quite impressive, while Dinusha Fernando on the wing, shouldn’t be underestimated.
All this and more, Thilina Weerasinghe has delivered on almost every occasion with his accurate conversions. Navy, probably, has the edge in that aspect of the game.
If the Havies have still not got over their loss to Kandy, and are dragged down by disappointment, the Navy could use it to their advantage. Navy’s loss to Kandy was some 3 weeks ago. Unlike in the case of the Havies, it is not fresh in their memory.
The Navy played a good game to edge out CR by 3 points last weekend. What stood out was their very effective defensive play, especially, in those final few minutes, when they were under the cosh.
It should be a good game of Rugby between two well balanced teams. Navy lost their 1st game to Kandy? (Havies) 19-26. But that was at the Park. The Naval base at Welisara could throw up a different result.
Meanwhile Air Force will take on Police at CR and FC grounds in Longdon place in the second game of the final week’s play. This game too can be considered as a battle for honour between two low-placed teams of the Dialog Rugby League Championship 2017.