An injury hit CR & FC are in a must-win situation when they meet a versatile and improved Police SC outfit in their Dialog Rugby League second round game at Police Park today.
This is a key game for them and have to beat Police SC to move up in the points table.
Currently, Police SC are occupying the second slot behind Kandy SC with 54 points and above CR who have accumulated 49 points.
“I have doubts that the whole side will take the field today because of the injuries to our key players like Dinuk Amerasinghe and Gayan Jayamanne,” said coach Dushanth Lewke.
“Police have a big advantage in Fijian player Vunivosa who is their play maker. The times they lost was when he did not play. But we are a young side built up to face any situation and we hope for the best,” added Lewke.
Nevertheless, CR possess an outstanding back division that has done most of their scoring in almost all their outings. Players in the calibre of Janidu Dilshan, Kevin Dixon, Reeza Rafaideen, Mursheed Zubair and Chamod Fernando are capable of penetrating any defence.
Dilshan has turned out to be the highest try scorer with 13 tries for an aggregate of 65 points.
Among the forwards they possess talented players in skipper Omalka Gunaratne, Sharo Fernando, Ashen Fernando and Supun Warnakulasooriya who use their burly body weight to good advantage and gain much ground.
Police are a vastly improved side and have produced good results so far which is the reason why they have gathered so many bonus points having scored many tries.
Their strength is in their Fijian centre Emosi Vunivosa who has figured in fashioning out many of their moves that have ended up in tries. Usually he creates the opening and passes the ball out for the others to move the ball around and score the tries.
It has been difficult to mark Vunivosa and stop him on the track because as he is not selfish and a good team man.
Teams:
CR: (From): Tuan Dilshan Jayah, Ashen Fernando, Supun Warnakulasooriya, Sharo Fernando, Gayan Jayamanne, Joel Perera, Wajid Fawmy, Jero Dananjaya, Omalka Gunaratne (Captain), Rahul de Silva, Chanaka Chandimal, Reeza Rafaideen, Mursheed Zubair, Chamodh Fernando, Janidu Dilshan, Kevin Dixon, Kavindu de Costa, Shaveen Ekanayake, Rizah Mubarak.
Police: (From); Lahiru Pavithra, Rasith Silva, Danushka Edirisuriya, Nisal Samadhi, Mohan Wimalaratne, Udara Suriyapperuma, Vageesha Weerasinghe, Shanaka Harischandra (captain), Pimesh Danushka, Yohan Pieris, Janith Chanaka, Emosi Vunivosa, Irishan Silva, Sachith Silva, Suranga Kasun, Amjad Fawmy, Adeesha Hadunpathirana, Muammar Deen, Suneth Fernando, Vihanga Pivithuru, Janith Chandimal, Sujan Kodithuwakku, Nalin Kumara