Kandy Take On CH Today

• Rugby – Inter Club

By Hafiz Marikar

Kandy Sports Club led by Saliya Kumara, which has a exciting side, will play CH & FC today at Maitland Crescent at 4.30 pm.   In the first outing of the season they beat the new comers Up-Country Lions SC at Nittawela last week.
This is going to be the first game for Saliya after his marriage.
He married Hasunika – an Asian Bronze medalist at Karate on Wednesday.
Kandy Sports Club under the watchful eyes of Johan Taylor has a well balanced side;  the rugby that was put on show by the Nittawela boys in their opening game was superb.
If they continue to play in this fashion should have no problem in retaining the League this year too.
The Kandy SC forwards are once again going to be the engine that drives the team They are also fast on their feet with the likes of Sean Wijasinghe  Keith  Gurusinghe, Senaka Bandara,  Kishore Jehan, Maleko  Kioa Mema Latu  and Achala Perera all carrying a wealth of experience and talent.
The back division too comprises of some exciting players of the caliber of play maker Fazil Marija the man who made the difference, who is a master of the game, then there is Edi Etuato Lolohea, Pradeep Liynagae,   Oshan Perera, Nuwan Hettiarachchi  all these players played very confidentially and paced out the game to earn their Victory over the new comers, So, the defending champions will be rarin’ to exhibit their rugby skills and assert their supremacy in no uncertain terms in today’s game.
Who are all out to enjoy another good season, skipper Saliya Kumara has inspired them to great heights with different style of leadership – more by example like a Fazil Marija.
He will be the player to watch in this Kandy SC  team.
It speaks volumes for the strength of Kandy SC that the side is not entirely dependent on him like for instance when heavyweights like, Sean Wijasinghe,  Pradeep Liyanage, Keith Gurusinge, Gyan Weerarthne,  strode the scene.
Rather Kandy SC  would love to give their sleek backline a much greater role in attack.
But it so happens that forwards are the ball winners and when there are players in the caliber of the Kandy SC 8, who have the speed and guile of a three quarter, the temptation to keep play among the ‘eight’ is great.
CH & FC have very little going for them surmounted with a top class opposition.
Led by  scrum half Tuan Shamrock   coming  out for the second game of the season, should give a good display at there own den.
They have the talent and the potential to perform well. But some “hoodoo” seems top be prevailing over them.
It is time that they settle down to some solid rugby to recapture their past.
CH & FC who had the final work out on Friday, under the watchful eyes of experienced Tony Amith, who put the players through their paces, must have done the home work in the proper way and much  will be expected from forwards like P. Prakrama, C. Rathnayake, M. Ekanayke, B. Hegoda, M. Rifkhan  should deliver the goods, and win good balls to their backs.
So their strong point  is going to b their back division players like S. Dissanayake, A. Hettiarachchi, L. Perera and U Udayakumara.