The battle between two top rugby sides of the current season Air Force Sports Club and CR & FC in their Dialog ‘A’ Division inter-club league rugby first round match at CR & FC grounds, Longden Place today should be a close game. The match will kick off at 4.00 pm.
The Airmen played really well in their last two games scored an impressive (24-21) and (22-12) victory against defending league champs Kandy as well as against Police at Ratmalana and Police Park respectively. The airmen should have the edge over the somewhat depleted CR outfit which has lost two in a row to the formidable Navy side (21-13) and Havelock’s last week where they went down (10-6).
Air Force’s forte has been their power-packed forwards along with their fierce tackling speedy three quarters; hence they are bound to come up with another superb display with all their fifteen players likely to give off their best under play maker cum former Royal College vice-captain Ashok Wijeykumar.
The Airmen has been training hard under former Sri Lanka national coach Leonard de Zilwa during the week and are determined to pull off another morale-boosting victory to go on top the league points table.
CR & FC is training under the watchful eyes of their new head coach Ben McDougall, who previously coached Army SC and St.Peter’s College Bambalapitiya without much success. The only consolation for them is that present Australian national under 24 flanker Rowan James Perry might turn out for them against the Airmen.
The Red shirts will have to be at their level best if they are to beat the high riding Air Force outfit even though they are playing on their home grounds at Longden Place.
But going by the present form Air Force will definitely go out as the favourites to clinch this contest.
Air Force (probable XV): Pushpakumara Samarahewa, Lahiru Udayanga, Prasad Medagedara, Thilina Bandara, Ranil Medagedara, Dimithri Patabandi, Dinesh Weeraratne, Saraka Waralla, Ashok Wijeykumar and Gayantha Iddamalgoda (Captain), Kaushal Manupriya, Sooriya Crishan, Charith Seneviratne, Ishara Madushan, Nuwan Perera, Head Coach: Leonard De Zilwa
CR & FC (probable XV): Shane Sammandapperuma (Captain), Supun Warnakulasooriya, Kokila Sammandapperuma, Ishan Noor or Panduka Angammana, Shemal Weerasekara, Sasanka Ariyaratne or Rowan James Perry, Shawkat Lahir, Omalka Gunaratne, Kavindu de Costa and Tarinda Ratwatte, Sashan Mohamad or Randitha Warnapura, Bhanuka Nanayakkara, Kushan Indunil , Kavindu Perera, Reeza Mubarak, Head Coach: Ben McDougall (Scotland)