The countdown to the 2014/15 Dialog Club Rugby League is almost over and the rejuvenated Army SC rugby team who are enriched with winning determination and will to work hard will be keen to bring back lost glory when they confront CR & FC in their season opener on the 2nd of November at their new home venue, Race Course International rugby stadium.
A bit of old
Sri Lanka Army SC started their rugby journey way back in 1963 and was always a force to reckon since the team has always been made up of Soldiers. Every year, Army SC would play their hearts out for victory under any circumstance. Army SC has always been competitive with the major rugby playing clubs by winning the tournament on several occasions and during the late 1990s they were one of the top 3 teams.
Lately
Last season, Army SC roared their way to the 6th place in the overall standings coming up with some creditable performances throughout the league. Out of all the 14 matches, Army SC registered 5 wins and secured 32 points under the captaincy of Asanka Perera and Upali Wickramasinghe.
The Driving Force
The foremost inclusion in the Army SC lineup will be the dynamic flanker/fly-half Rohitha Rajapakse. He led Navy SC to a double win last season and he will be the cynosure of all eyes on how he will produce a winning outfit under his captaincy. Experienced forwards such as Ashoka Jayalal, Dinesh Suranga and Nishantha Kobbekaduwa will add weight in the pack while backs such as Upali Wickramasinghe and Gayan Salinda can be match-winners on their day for Army SC.
New Blood
The newest inclusions into the Soldiers’ camp are three-quarters such as the exciting Chula Susantha, former Trinitian Thisila Karunathilake, former Peterite skipper Banuka Nanayakkara, scrum-half Rehan Weerakoon and winger Sashan Mohammed. They will be the impact players for Army with special talents. School-leavers such as Prince Chamara and Asela Wijesinghe have also joined the Army ranks to play their first club rugby season.
Banuka and Chula crossed-over from Navy SC while Thisila and Sashan joined Army from the abandoned Upcountry Lions team. Another big prospect for Army SC will be the former Josephian prop-forward Yohan Keysar as he is by far the biggest and bulkiest forward in their squad.
Foreign ammo
Army SC has signed up 5 foreign players for the upcoming season with 3 Fijians and 2 Tongans. Tongan 7s Captain and utility back, Kilifu Latu will link up with Fijian 7s superstars, Pio Tuwai and Samuela Saqiwa who will play in an unfamiliar position of number 8. Tongan center Saia Palei will also add spark into the Army lineup.
Coaching contingent
‘Fitness Guru’ Mothilal Jayathilake will serve as the head coach and the trainer of the Army SC this season and his main target will be to complete a hat-trick of league title wins under his belt as he coached Havelock SC and Navy SC into winning combinations during 2012/13 and 2013/14 respectively. He is one of the country’s finest strength and conditioning trainers and a renowned figure in the rugby arena as he has produced many champion teams over the past years as a coach. Former Army SC and Sri Lanka forward, Nishal Meepage will be managing the team while Anuruddha Rathnayake and Amila Chathuranga will act as assistant coaches.\
What they had to say
The Army SC skipper Rohitha Rajapakse shared his views exclusively with www.thepapare.com on their chances of winning the title, about his key players and his playing position as a fly-half, “We are preparing quite well for the season and we hope to win the championship as I think we have the potential to do so. Almost all the foreign players who are here are very good. In terms of the title race, Navy will be the tough team to beat this season as I know their potential after leading the sailors last season. Beating Kandy SC will also be challenging but I’m pretty confident about my team. I have been playing as a fly-half at University in England, so it is not a new thing for me. It is different compared to Sri Lanka but I’m willing to take the challenge. ”
Head coach Mothilal Jayathilake stressed out about his team and the pre-season training program with www.thepapare.com, “We trained for about 18 weeks and I’m very happy with the conditioning levels and skill levels of most of the boys. We have good 5 foreigners and I expect the best out of them and from the local players, we have a very good set of forwards who have been playing for Army for the last couple of seasons and we have a strong back line as well. “
Troops
Props – Nishantha Kumara, Yohan Keysar, Dileepa Niroshan, Dinesh Suranga, Rasika Abeynayake, Lahiru Pavithra.
Hookers – Ashoka Jayalal, Reyan Fernando, Aravinda Karunaratne.
Second Rows – Thushara Perera, Mohammed Akram, Nishantha Kobbekaduwa, Udara Madusanka.
Flankers – Migara Madugalle, Upul Chandima, Eranda Piyathilake, Dhanushka Malitha, Sajith Melan.
Number 8 – Pio Tuwai, Samuela Saqiwa
Scrum-Half – Rehan Weerakoon, Mohammed Rizvi, Asith Wijesinghe
Fly-Half – Rohitha Rajapakse, Upali Wickramasinghe, Sahan Umagiliya
Centers – Banuka Nanayakkara, Imanka Ariyapala, Pradeep Victor, Kilifu Latu, Epi Cokanasiga.
Wingers – Chula Susantha, Sashan Mohamed, Asela Wijesinghe, Prince Chamara, Madusanka Chandrasekara.
Full Back – Thisila Karunathilake, Gayan Salinda.
