Navy – Havies will be close game

By Jason Perera

Rejuvenated Navy sports club which scored a sensational 41-21 win against Air Force sports club in their last super round plate championship match in the just concluded Dialog league rugby tournament, will go all out to give the same performance by overcoming League runners up Havelock sports club in their Dialog 'A' Division Clifford cup knock out fourth and last Quarter final rugby match at Race Course grounds in Colombo today. Kick of will be at 4.00 pm.

Navy sports club forwards along with their speedy three quarters gave a superb performance against the Air Men and the running rugby they carried out has been excellent, hence they will have to come up with the similar performance if they hope to overcome the Havies today. 

Mean while the Havelocks team who went downsurprisingly to Kandy Sports Club in their league rugby tournament super round decider by 19 points to 21 which was played at their home grounds at Havelock Park, will have to surely come out with amuch improved performance if they have to beat the Sailors and get in to the all important Semi Finals with Army Sports Club next week. 

Havies won both their matches against Navy in the just concluded Dialog league rugby tournament winning 22-18 at Havelock Park in the first round game while they also won the return leg by 31-20 at Navy grounds in Welisara.

All in all another terrific tussle for supremacy can be expected today and going by the performance of the two teams it won't be a surprise if Havelock sports club emerge victorious today, but rejuvenated Navy SC team if play to their true potential can make asurprise victory in the end as well.

Navy Sports Club (Probable Team):

Kasun De Silva, Amith Gunasinghe or Ifam Fareed, Charith Silva, Nirosh Perera, Gavin Siegertz, Adeesha Weeratunga, Radeesha Seneviratne, Raveen De Silva, Richie Dharmapala,  Chatura Seneviratne  , Buddhika Piyaratne, Mushin Faleel, Thanuja Maduranga, Saliya Handapangoda, Thilina Weerasinghe (Captain), Head coach : Mothilal Jayathilake, Asst Coach: Dev Anand

Havelocks (Probable XV): 

Dushmantha Priyadarshana , Azmeer Fajudeen, Rahal Delpachithra or Liston Flatney, Umesh Madushan, Sharo Fernando, Shenal Deelaka, Sithum Peiris or Shawqat Lahir , Lasindu Ishan Karunathilake, Vimukthi Rahula or Mithun Hapugoda and Niroshan Fernando (Captain) or Sandesh Jayawickrema, Chamara Dabare, Randy Silva, Theekshana Dassanayake, Sadun Herath, Reeza Mubarak,