Things could be tricky for Kandy with the fleet footed Soldiers
View(s):A dominant assertive Kandy team who seemed to hit their straps in the last game will take on the rugged, gritty soldiers today at Nittawela. The Police match was expected to be one of their tougher battles. However, the manner in which they shrugged off that challenge bodes ill for their opponents. Kandy’s fanatic supporters are already proclaiming a one-man-show. That moment of truth will come in early 2016 when the Nittawela club takes on the Havelocks, especially, and the Navy, the following week.
A total of 193 points in three games would suggest that the Kandy players have done plenty of running with the ball. That is unsurprising, as Kandy’s strength has traditionally been the run and pass game. A relaxed Fazil Marija made two blistering runs that split the Police defence right down the middle and then, betook himself to the sideline. Vishwamithra Jayasinghe took the cue from his skipper and repeated the dose.
Nigel Ratwatte, Richard Dharmapala, the elder Weeraratne, Gayan and Lavanga Perera all seem to have a nose for tries the Police defence was, at times weak ineffective and even non-existent. Surely, the Army will provide a tighter defence. Suhiru Anthony, Udangamuwa and Damith Dissanaike, inter alia scrapped hard and gave it their all. The Kandy forwards played their part and helped to make the champions effort a well rounded one.
Some of Kandy’s players tended to go over the top a bit and were, in consequence, handed four yellow cards. This would have a destabilizing effect in a more difficult, crunch game. The Police, to their charging, wouldn’t really capitalize on the shore fall.
Though lacking in a certain amount of finesse and class, the Army team play their hearts out and indulge in a lot of spoiling work. They failed to fire in the opener against CR, but have followed that up with wind against the Navy and the Air Force. The first game was a cliff hanger which the Soldiers pulled off thanks to an injuring time try by skipper Asoka Jayalal. The game against the Airmen was much easier. Despite scoring 37 points, Army should take note of the fact that they conceded 25.
The players to watch in the Army line up are skipper Asoka Jayalal, centres Imanka and Dinusha Ariyapala, fly half Ashan Bandara and full back Gayan Salinda. It was Bandara who sparked the Army resurgence with a turn over try. At this point the Army was ahead by a mere five points.
Gayan Salinda, who has distinguished himself in the outer unit tournaments, has done a fine job as a fullback and, an even better one as the place kicker. Calmo unruffled, Salinda has been very accurate. Army will have to derail Kandy’s free flowing back division is they are to make an impact. In another match today – this time under lights – Havelocks will entertain Air Force who are yet to get on board. The information coming from Katunayake is that the team is having injury woes and that several changes are likely.
By contrast, the Havies have a 100 per cent record, having beaten the Police, CR and Navy. The players to watch in the Park Club side are skipper Sandun Herath, dashing centre Dhanushka Ranjan, Dushmantha Priyadarshana and Hirantha Perera. The Havies seem to be working their way up quite led for that all imported clash with the Kandy side the second of January.