Police and Army tipped to go unscathed
Both Air Force and Police, who meet today at Ratmalana, will be looking at achieving only their second win in this year’s Dialog Division ‘A’ Inter-Club Rugby League Tournament.
Both teams were able to overcome bottom-of-the-table CH and FC. However, Police gave the Maitland Crescent Club a trouncing of 62-0, whereas Air Force emerged unscathed by a mere two points.
Looked at in this light, Police seem to have the beating of the Airmen. The Law-enforcers have not really delivered despite the presence of high-profile players such as Bilal Hassen, Mohamed Sheriff, Reza Mubarak and Chula Susantha. Hassen has been the pick and has certainly given his new club value for money.
Police and Army tipped to go unscathed
Sheriff has not produced the tries a player of his talent and experience should. However one has to appreciate his whole-hearted efforts. He is always eager to go forward, looking to initiate moves all the time and is an attacking player.
Mubarak has contributed his fair share through his conversions. Centre Susantha and scrumhalf Mohamed Abzal should feature prominently. Police skipper Lahiru Gunasinghe should provide more leadership and get his men behind him. This is their chance to achieve their second success and they shouldn’t look the gift-horse in the mouth.
Air Force have not been a punching bag to their opponents. It looked so at the start when they lost by 28 points to the Navy side and 51 to the defending champions, Kandy SC. Their margins of defeat against the Army and Havelocks were 12 and 13 points.
They seized their chance against lowly CH and FC and beat them, but not by much. The Airmen are a set of nippy players who endeavour to give as good as they get.
Yet, Police, with their multitude of seasoned cross-overs, should be able to pull this one off. Interestingly, Radeesha Seneviratne, an Air Force flanker, is now with the Police. So there will be extra incentive for the Airmen to show who’s the boss.
In the second game today, Army will entertain the whipping boys, CH and FC at Racecourse. Army’s highest tally (37) was achieved against Air Force. This should be the game n which they will make every effort to top the 50 mark.
Army’s outsiders lack the brilliance of the Kandy and Havelocks players. Yet they have two incisive runners in the Ariyapala brothers. Their forte is the rugged approach employed by the pack.
Disrupt and derail, have the opponents at sixes and sevens take it from there. The halves combination of Rizvi Mohamed and Ashan Bandara gel well. Skipper Asoka Jayalal plays hard and takes a lot of stopping. Full back Gayan Salinda was off colour in the last game. Army supporters must be hoping that he will have his kicking boots on again.
The CH has yet to win a game, but one doesn’t feel that they will achieve their initial success in today’s game. The CH conceded a lot of points in their first four games – 80, 55, 45, 67.
Happily for all concerned, they did give Air Force a very good run for their money. If they can keep Army total down to manageable proportions, CH would have done well.
But then, from where is their first win coming? It won’t be from the Havies, who take them on next Friday.