Rugby: CR and FC take on Kandy in an interesting battle

It may be cliché tic, but playing for pride is a sentiment offer expressed by a team that has been defeated. 

Mighty Kandy SC, with its surfeit of stars, who occupy the third spot in the table, take on fourth placed CR and FC at Nittawela on Sunday (11). 

Their current standing takes some getting used to as the club has, more offer than not, been at the top. 

If the first loss to the Airmen was an aberration, the second, to the Navy, was more morale-shattering. 

Kandy has to pick themselves up and keep winning if they are to have a shot at the title. 

The jolts that Kandy has received stem from some strange decision-making. 

Well and good having a bench that includes national players who can be sent in whenever the think-tank deems fit. 

The interest of the club would have been decided at the start and stuck to. Tinkering hasn’t worked. 

That a player as brilliant as Srinath Sooriyabandara cannot find a place in the starting line-up baffles many. 

His versatility could be better used. Arshad Jamaldeen, whose mistakes paved the way for two goals, was a misfit as centre. 

It is not that Kandy is short of players to occupy the outsides slots. 

They have them in profession. 

A respected rugby personality – a former skipper of the Sri Lanka team – was of the opinion that some players are inclined to be selfish. 

With so many talented players jostling for the lime-light, the ultimate goal seems to have been lose sight of. 

Dhanushka Ranjan came back to form with a couple of tries. 

In the final stages of the Navy game, he, together with Fazil Marija, strained every nerve and sinew to overcome that five-point deficit. 

With three wins in five games, Kandy cannot climb to the top position at the end of round one. 

The Navy-Havelocks game, which will be played later in the evening, will decide that. 

Further, Kandy have a potentially tough assignment coming up against the Havies. 

The CR, like Kandy, have won thrice. They lost both matches against the table leaders Havelocks (7-10) and the second placed Navy (13-21). 

They have the satisfaction of knowing that the hard part is almost over. 

The CH game could me made use of the boost the points tally. 

Tarinda Ratwatte, of Kandyan origin, is the player who ignites the team by his performance. 

He would be a tad more accurate and consistent with his conversions. 

Yet there’s no gains saying that he’s the star of the CR's show. 

Pairing off effectively with de Costa, Ratwatte puts the defence under pressure with his slicing runs and keep kicks. 

CR have two effective finishers out on the wings – Shashan Mohamed and Kavindu Perera (of Trinity and Vidyartha respectively) have done what’s expected of them when handed the ball. 

Centre Bhanuka Nanayakkara has fitted in well to the back-line. 

Omalka Gunaratne stands out in the pack. He has a big task ahead of him as the home team will be well aware of his effective power-play and take measures accordingly. 

Flanker Sasanka Ariyaratne, lock Ishan Noor and skipper Sammandapperuma are the other players of note in the CR pack. 

Much interest centre on the performance of the Belihuloya born Australian Rowan Perry. 

He played around 25 minutes of the Police game before leaving the field with a hand injury. 

He showed in that time that he was good at scrapping for the ball. 

His attacking skills were not much in evidence. 

If fit, he will certainly boost CR’s performances.