Rugby: Soldiers take on Airmen in game of honour

To many, the Army-Air Force game at Longdon Place on Sunday (12), would be one of little consequence. 

Not so for the two service teams involved. 

A certain amount of pride is at stake. 

It was the Air Force that made waves in the first round, netting Kandy (the biggest catch of them all), followed by the Police and the Army. 

The match against the soldiers was close (32-29). 

However, they seem to have shot their bolt and their performance has sagged badly in round two. 

The nadir in their fortunes came when a highly charged and motivated Kandy team crushed them by 73 points to 13 at Nittawela. 

That must have taken quite a bit living down. 

By contrast, the Army seemed to be on a roll in recent weeks, beating CR and the Navy. 

The euphoria was short-lived as last weekend the Police, who lost the earlier game, came back to thump Manoj Silva’s men (27-21). 

The Army pack has got the reputation of being go-getters. 

No opposition seems to faze them as they go their rampaging way, bull-dozing the opposing pack into submission. 

Manoj Silva, his predecessor Ashok Jayalal, Upul Abeyratne and hooker Sameera Wickremanayake have been partners in this blitz. 

It is also a common sight to see the Army locks Nalaka Maduranga and Nishantha Kobbekaduwa towering above the rest to win good line-out ball. 

Ashan Bandara’s return to the vital fly half’s berth gives the team the punch they seemed to lack among the backs. 

The Ariyapala’s can be incisive and penetrative. 

But the back division has not put it all together. 

Winger Sudarka Dikkumbura suffered an injury to his eye and missed many games. 

He’s the type of player with the knack of finding gape. 

Salinda Gayan, the fullback, was out of some games. 

Now that he’s back, he has uplifted his performance. 

A match or two ago, he was impeccable in the matter of conversions. 

The Air Force has definitely slipped. 

A month and a half ago, they were playing delightful rugger. 

The mobile pack was working hard, and the three quarters were playing good attacking rugby. 

Royalist Ashok Vijaykumar hasn’t had the expected impact. 

Fly half and skipper Gayantha Iddamalgoda is a force, despite his quiet ways. 

His feeding of the backs and ball distribution is good. 

The experienced Charith Seneviratne, at centre, is an ever-present danger. 

The same could be said of his co-centre Suriya Hewage keep straining at the leash, waiting for the opportunity to finish off the moves. 

This may be a good chance for the Airmen to arrest their downward slide. 

But it won’t be easy with the Army pack hounding them and going at it hammer and thongs.