Wounded CR looking for a comeback

By Shamseer Jaleel

Defeated CR and FC will have to fire all cylinders when they take on Navy Sports Club at Welisara today knowing that anything less than a convincing win could further dent their title aspirations at the inter club League rugby championship.

The Red Shirts began their campaign in emphatic fashion, brushing aside Sri Lions in the opener before edging out Army Sports Club in a shortened encounter. However, their shock home defeat to CH and FC in the previous outing has put them under pressure, leaving little room for error in the coming fixtures.

With hopes of reclaiming the league title still alive, CR cannot afford further slips and will be keen to make a strong statement. On paper and on current form, they hold a clear edge over Navy Sports Club and should be targeting a bonus-point victory. 

Navy, who have struggled for consistency, are likely to find it difficult to contain CR’s attacking flair and structured forward play over the full eighty minutes.  Led by Lasindu Karunathilake and well supported by Mursheed Doray, Omalka Gunaratne and Gemunu Chetiya, the Longden Place club will really have to buckle up. Navy Sports Club, one of the weaker outfits this season, showed early promise by drawing their opening match against Havelock Sports Club, but that momentum quickly faded. 

Subsequent defeats to defending champions Kandy Sports Club and the in-form Air Force Sports Club exposed their limitations, and they now face another daunting challenge against a wounded but dangerous CR side. 

Navy SC are led by Denuwan Wickremaratne supported by Isuru Kongahawatte and Thilina Weerasinghe and will have to go all out to win playing at their base in Welisara.

On the same day, Sri Lions and Police Sports Club will clash at Longden Place in what promises to be a closely contested encounter. 

Both teams are still searching for their first win of the season, and with pride and momentum at stake, this fixture could go down to the wire.