Kandy firm favourites
Kandy Sports Club, the defending league champions will be out for the first time this season, that too in front of their home crowd at Nittawela when they host the visiting Air Force outfit today.
Kick-off is scheduled at 3.45 pm.
Kandy is packed with national players and this encounter will see two Kandy-born players Tharinda Ratwatte (Trinity) and Kavindu Perera (Vidyartha) returning to central hills after their early club career with the CR and FC. They will be boosted by Nigel Ratwatte’s leadership along with some top class players such as Srinath Sooriyabandara, Yakoob Ali, Lavanga Perera, Shehan Pathirana, Buwanaka Udangamuwa and Roshan Weeraratne to name a few of them in the squad this year.
Newcomer Buddhima Piyaratne from Navy will make his debut next weekend.
Kandy will miss the services of Danushka Ranjan during the league due to a knee injury. He is in the recovery process which might take around 2-3 months. He is expected to be back for the Clifford Cup knock out encounters in March 2020. Richard Dharmapala and Anurudha Wilwara too are down with injuries and will not be available for the Up Country outfit. Kandy SC is coached by rugby legend, Fazil Marija, with Kapila Silva being manager of the unit.
Air Force will be led by Ranuka Medagedera with Iddamalgoda and several seniors are all out to give Kandy a good fight playing away from home in the hills. It will be tough for the visitors to contain a star-studded outfit playing in front of their ardent fans at Nittawela. Kandy is expected to have a field day and a bonus point win to begin their defence of the League.
Hasantha Weranga is expected to handle the whistle.
Speaking to Sunday Times, Kandy SC skipper, Nigel Ratwatte said: “We prepared really well for this season with intense training. Our forwards look better than other years. Three quarters we will miss the service of Ranjan, Richard and Wilwara, but we have ample replacements for them. We are prepared for the challenge. We will never underestimate any teams. We will play our best available side.”
Fazil Marija, Kandy SC head coach, said: “I am very excited to take up the challenge as the head coach of the Kandy side. This will be my first season as the head coach. We have injury worries losing out on three key players Ranjan, Richard and Wilwara but good replacements in the way of Lavanga, Kavindu and Buddhima. Buddhima is unlikely to play in the very first encounter against Air Force. The forwards look rock solid and they should feed ample ball to the speedy three quarter line. Every game we will take it seriously. No one will give us an easy win. We need to fight hard. I am sure the boys are very professional in their approach and they know that we need to retain the league at Nittawela. We are very lucky to get ample support from the club management.”