14 February 2024 09:04 pm Views - 1190
By Harsha Amarasinghe
Feb. 14 (Daily Mirror) - Kandy Sports Club are heading into another final day of a league tournament knowing that a victory would ensure them yet another title, but unlike any other occasion, they are going in as clear underdogs this time around.
For the last couple of decades or so, by this time, Kandy would have had sealed the league. They last lost the league title to Navy Sports Club in 2014/2015 season during which they were beaten by the most expensive Fijians, probably the most skilful local players and of course a regime that looked unshakable, but as Rajapaksas started crumbling the following year, Kandy once again rose to the top, and since then they have truly been the team to beat. They have had slightly scary moments when Havelock SC appeared to have won the league in 2019 season just before the introduction of a Super Round during which Kandy smashed them to the title. Even when Kandy were stunned early on the season by Air Force Sports Club in 2017, it still felt that Kandy would do just enough to win the title that season, and so they did.
However, it’s for the first time in many years that the final day clash is a ‘David and Goliath’, but not the way it usually is - favouring Kandy.
So how does Kandy stop this rampant CR side? Number 8 Lasindu Ishan has been the player of this league tournament by a long way. The former Science College captain’s contribution to CR’s success is extraordinary. It’s easy to notice his tries but he brings much more than tries to the Longden Place team. Kandy would need to keep a very close eye on the forward or else the league will be gone in no time.
Many spectators felt that Kandy were out powered during their league meet-up which CR comfortably won up in Nittawela 38-26. Flanker Adeesha Weeratunga has been one of CR’s best performing players this season. Head coach Dushanth Lewke mentioned the need for a good jumper at the start of the season and the former Isipathana flanker has brilliantly solved their line-out issues. He going head-to-head against senior campaigner Jason Dissanayake would be one of the most significant mini battles of this encounter.
CR’s backline is relatively young, but the big difference from most of the other young sides, is that they have got some really intelligent players in that backline such as Manelka Ruberu, Murshid Doray and Thenuka Nanayakkara who have all been exceptional so far this season. Kandy on the other hand has an aging backline with the likes of Srinath Sooriyabandara, Nigel Ratwatte, Kavindu Perera all in the twilight of their careers, but one man who could do serious damage on a deciding game like this is Tarinda Ratwatte who has probably been their best player this season. The former Trinity skipper started off his club career at the Longden Place, and when Kandy was defeated in Nittawela he was nearly in tears. Ratwatte would dearly love to return to Colombo to bag another league title - which for the first time in many years looks like an uphill battle.