CR & FC feature in crunch battle against Police on Saturday 

By A Special Sports Correspondent 

Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club (CR&FC) after a morale boosting win over Army Sports Club last week take on Police Sports Club at Police Park on Saturday (December 9) with the kick-off scheduled for 3.45 pm.

CR can be rated as one of the favourites to lift the league trophy this year after having finished on a high last season. The side is led by lock forward Suhiru Anthony and they showed the stuff they are made of in the first week of the season against Army; running down eight tries in all at will and at a venue far away from home. The Red Shirts are packed with great players in the likes of Thenuka Nanayakkara, Yasas Kavindu, Lasindu Karunathilake, Chemod Muthunayake, Adeesha Weerathunga and Shenal Adikaram apart from their skipper, who carries loads of experience.

On the other hand Police SC too played well in their opening match this season when they demolished Navy SC 41-22 at Police Park. Police have in their ranks some big names like skipper Mohan Wimalaratne, Prince Chamara, C. Iroshan, Hirantha Perera, S. Jayawardene and two-star youth players in the likes of Naveen Kanishka and Parveen Stephan; who played for Isipatana last season.

The other match scheduled for Saturday is between Army SC and Kandy SC which is scheduled to be played at Panagoda. Kandy SC recorded an all important first week win against the much improved CH & FC in a keenly contested game. On Friday Sri Lanka Air Force will host Navy SC at Ratmalana while on Sunday Havelocks will host CH & FC under lights at the Park Club.

The teams: 

CR & FC rugby pool from: S. Nanayakkara, A. Gunasinghe, S. Perera, T. Nanayakkara, Y. Kavindu, L. Karunathilake, C. Muthunayake, A. Weerathunga, S. Adikaram, S. Anthony (Captain), E. Harshana, I. Ariyapala, Naveen Marasinghe, K. de Costa, M. Ruberu, G. Chethiya, R. Ekanayake, K. Tharindu, T. Mariyadas, R. Senanayake, W. De Mel, Rinesh Silva, Randy Silva, Raveen de Silva, V. Kodhagoda, A. Weerathunga 

Police SC rugby pool from: H. Fernando, C. Kavindya, V. Shaveen, L. Yomal, Mohan Wimalaratne (Captain), D. Srimantha, D. Harishchandra, S. Fernando, S.A. Kumara, V. Randeepa, Prince Chamara, J. Chanaka, R. Madushanka, N. Paranamana, S. Kodithuwakku, S. Hopwood, C. Iroshan, M. Kumarasiri, V. Fernando, D. Edirisooriya, M. Thabeeth, Hirantha Perera, S. Jayawardene, Naveen Kanishka and Praveen Stephan.