Royal face fierce challenge from Isipatana..
Daily news -22/06/2012 Thushan JAYASURIYA
Defending champions Royal College who suffered a morale-shattering 11-34 defeat at the hands of Trinity College last week face the tough task of overcoming the vastly improved Isipatana College in their Singer league segment one ‘A’ division match for the Major Milroy Fernando Memorial Trophy at CR and FC Grounds Longden Place today.
The lads from Havelock Town who are in a buoyant mood after their smashing 46 – 20 win over St. Peter's College last week will go all out to register another win over Royal and consolidate their position in the points table.
Royal College paid the penalty of fielding a half fit Arshad Jamaldeen in the fly half berth last week. The possession earned by their hard working forwards was wasted with the Reid Avenue school's three quarters being unable to make much headway. The Trinitians also made maximum use of Royal's lack of fitness by scoring three tries in the last 12 minutes including a gifted try when they failed to touch down in defence off an attempted penalty.
Arshad Jamaldeen has now recovered from the injury and will continue to play in the fly half berth and he is expected to give a much better display today which would help to make use of their three quarters as they have a fine centre in Rimzi Jamaldeen and two speedy wingers Ijaz Bohoran and Nimshan Jayawardena in addition to an attacking full back the seasoned Damien Ratwatte. The Reid Avenue school has a power packed set of forwards spearheaded by prop forward Eroshan de Alwis ably supported by Lahiru Pavithra, Wasim Bawa, Andrew Siriwardena, Yasun Weerasuriya and Madusha Kularatne who are expected to dominate in the loose.
The forte of the Isipatanians are their speedy three quarters. Their halves combination of Sudam Parinda and Kavindu de Costa have hit it off smoothly. The two centres the experienced Shyamal Chathuranga and Hirantha Perera are likely to test the Royal defence to the hilt today while on the wings they will have the services of two powerful runners in Uditha Prematillake and Sithum Chathusanka (who had a hatrick of tries against the Peterites) with Kushan Indunil manning the last line of defence.
The lads from Havelock town could also boast of a fine place kicker in Hirantha Perera who has piloted them to many victories this season with his accurate place kicking.
The Teams:
Royal - Eroshan de Alwis, Lahiru Pavithra, Kaveen Perera, Wasim Bawa, Yasun Weerasuriya, Andrew Siriwardena, Sachin Vihanga, Madhusha Kularatne, Ravishan Dassanayake and Arshad Jamaldeen (Captain), Ijaz Bohoran, Rimzi Jamaldeen, Bhanuka Gamage, Nimshan Jayawardena, Damien Ratwatte.
Isipatana – Ushan Charuka, Manaka Siriwardena,Ganuka Dissanayake, Malith Ranga, Ganidu Weerasinghe, Shenal Deelaka, Kumendra Dharmadasa (Captain), Arun Kumar, Sudam Parinda and Kavindu de Costa, Uditha Prematillake, Shyamal Chathuranga, Hirantha Perera, Sithum Chathusanka, Kushan Indunil.
Daily news -22/06/2012 Thushan JAYASURIYA
Defending champions Royal College who suffered a morale-shattering 11-34 defeat at the hands of Trinity College last week face the tough task of overcoming the vastly improved Isipatana College in their Singer league segment one ‘A’ division match for the Major Milroy Fernando Memorial Trophy at CR and FC Grounds Longden Place today.
The lads from Havelock Town who are in a buoyant mood after their smashing 46 – 20 win over St. Peter's College last week will go all out to register another win over Royal and consolidate their position in the points table.
Royal College paid the penalty of fielding a half fit Arshad Jamaldeen in the fly half berth last week. The possession earned by their hard working forwards was wasted with the Reid Avenue school's three quarters being unable to make much headway. The Trinitians also made maximum use of Royal's lack of fitness by scoring three tries in the last 12 minutes including a gifted try when they failed to touch down in defence off an attempted penalty.
Arshad Jamaldeen has now recovered from the injury and will continue to play in the fly half berth and he is expected to give a much better display today which would help to make use of their three quarters as they have a fine centre in Rimzi Jamaldeen and two speedy wingers Ijaz Bohoran and Nimshan Jayawardena in addition to an attacking full back the seasoned Damien Ratwatte. The Reid Avenue school has a power packed set of forwards spearheaded by prop forward Eroshan de Alwis ably supported by Lahiru Pavithra, Wasim Bawa, Andrew Siriwardena, Yasun Weerasuriya and Madusha Kularatne who are expected to dominate in the loose.
The forte of the Isipatanians are their speedy three quarters. Their halves combination of Sudam Parinda and Kavindu de Costa have hit it off smoothly. The two centres the experienced Shyamal Chathuranga and Hirantha Perera are likely to test the Royal defence to the hilt today while on the wings they will have the services of two powerful runners in Uditha Prematillake and Sithum Chathusanka (who had a hatrick of tries against the Peterites) with Kushan Indunil manning the last line of defence.
The lads from Havelock town could also boast of a fine place kicker in Hirantha Perera who has piloted them to many victories this season with his accurate place kicking.
The Teams:
Royal - Eroshan de Alwis, Lahiru Pavithra, Kaveen Perera, Wasim Bawa, Yasun Weerasuriya, Andrew Siriwardena, Sachin Vihanga, Madhusha Kularatne, Ravishan Dassanayake and Arshad Jamaldeen (Captain), Ijaz Bohoran, Rimzi Jamaldeen, Bhanuka Gamage, Nimshan Jayawardena, Damien Ratwatte.
Isipatana – Ushan Charuka, Manaka Siriwardena,Ganuka Dissanayake, Malith Ranga, Ganidu Weerasinghe, Shenal Deelaka, Kumendra Dharmadasa (Captain), Arun Kumar, Sudam Parinda and Kavindu de Costa, Uditha Prematillake, Shyamal Chathuranga, Hirantha Perera, Sithum Chathusanka, Kushan Indunil.
