By M Shamil Amit

Unbeaten St. Joseph’s face an acid test confronting defending champs Royal College in a crucial encounter to be played at Havelock Park from 4.15 p.m. onwards today.

The high ridingJosephians will be coming into the game with confidence having chalked up three wins against Kingswood (34-3), S. Thomas’ (30-28) and Trinity (20-15) while Royal on the other hand began with a win against St. Anthony’s (22-12) and followed it up with a big win (53-0) against Kingswood but had their unbeaten run tarnished going down to traditional rivals Trinity (20-21). However, they made a strong comeback to get the better of S. Thomas’ (20-8).

The match is no doubt going to be crucial for the two teams with the Josephians led by centreTeran Karunanayake will be looking to continue the winning trend while Royal led by Harshith Peiris would be aiming to spoil the successful run of their opponents.

The two teams possess top notch players with Royal having in their ranks players in the caliber of deputy skipper and second rower Kaveen Sasanga, scrum half Hansaka Higgoda, flanker Buwanaka Senanayake, winger Pasindu Heshan, centre Navin Perera, full back Nabil Yehiya, second row Abdulla Yousuf, Rahil Wijeyesekera, Supun Gamlath and Shenal Adhikaram.

On the othe hand Josephian skipper Teran Karunanayake will bank on burly No 8 Naveen Marasinghe who is in top form having scored a hat-trick of tries against S. Thomas’, fly half Dilhara Subash, prop Jehan Athukorala, flanker Sachinthana Waidyanatha, second row Randika Dahanayake and centre Vihanga Randeepa to deliver the goods.

This will be the last league encounter for Royal with St. Joseph’s having a game in hand against St. Anthony’s.

In effect this is a must win game for Royal if they are to advance to the next stage of the tournament in defence of their title, with only the two top teams qualifying from the group.

Royal have been successful in the last two outings between the two teams having recorded close wins of 19-13 in 2018 and 24-17 in the year 2019.

Royal - Harshith Peiris (Capt), Kaveen Sasanga, Navin Perera, Hansaka Higgoda, Viboda Dabare, Thineth Gamage, Danuja Samararatne, Abdullah Yousuf, Rahil Wijeyesekera, Randul Senanayake, Buwaneka Senanayake, Thivain Perera, Duljaya Gamanayake, Thevinu Saparamadu, Pasindu Heshan, Nabeel Yehiya, Supun Gamlath, Afeef Akram, Kavinash Srikanth, Yehan Weerasooriya, Yovindu Ethugala, Idrak Farouk, Bimsara Peiris, Idris Farouk, Amika Samarasinghe.

St. Joseph’s – Teran Karunanayake (Capt), Rahel Jayawardena, Naveen Marasinghe, Dilhara Subash, Randika Dahanayake, Jehan Athukorala, Sachinthana Waidyanatha, Vihanga Randeepa, Ryan Fernando, Ruchitha Rodrigo, Kenishyas John, Minidu Pathirana, Induwara Rodrigo, Isuru Kanchana, Nithik Rodrigo, Vidusha Imesh, Sachithra Lanka, Chamod Kavindya, Ishan Chameera, Sithija Sanjeewa, Uthesh Robinson, Chathura Kalhara, Viraj Dilshan, Ashen Kaveeshana, Chandura Wimalasiri.