CH&FC and Hambantota Sharks has withdrawn from the ongoing Dialog Club Rugby League 2014/15
The oldest rugby club in Sri Lanka CH & FC has decided to withdraw from the ongoing Dialog rugby league. In the start of the second round, CH were scheduled to play with the mighty Kandy team last week after going down badly in the last week of first round 71 – 05.
However, CH postponed the match due to a financial crisis as their foreigners were sent home for early Christmas. Now it is not just the foreigners that is an issue for the Maitland Crescent club but also the injuries of players and a ground for practice.
It is an ignominy for a club such as CH who had been a fabulous rugby playing club in 80’s – 90’s. Players like the current Chairman Iqbal Hassan, whose one son is playing for Navy (Bilal)and the other at CH(Hamza), YC Chang, Jude Pillai, Chandrashan Perera, Ronny Ibrahim are a few big names that represented this prestigious club.
However, the Chairman Mr. Hassan stated to ThePapare that “continuing this season is very unlikely, we have struggled with a ground to train and the players being injured”
It will be disappointing for the talents like Radeesha Senevirathana, Musheen Faleel, Rimzie Jamaldeen, Pium Jayasinghe, etc to lose their club in mid-season with most of them playing professional rugby.
The current standing of CH & Sharks on the Dialog Rugby League
The other sad story for rugby in the island is that Hambanthota Sharks also have pulled out from the season. During the first round of play the youngsters had huge potential in finishing 5th or 6th in the league. The 2 year old Sharks also beat the Air Force 20 – 17 in the first round. Last weekend Air Force registered maiden win over Sharks with a 68 – 15 massive win. Moreover, Sharks conceded the highest points in the league thus far with a 125 – 07 to Navy in round ten.
The Sharks team Manager Pradeep Kaluarachi speaking to ThePapare stated that “ we have so many injuries specially to experienced players like Amjad Buksh, Chamara Kumara, Pubudu Kadagoda, captain Janik Jayasuriya and few youngsters, so it is hard to get the bench sorted on the match day”.
To our inquiry about the foreign players Wagawulagi Emori and Joseph Dunn, Mr. Kaluarachchi further stated that “they are not just Sharks players also Sri Lankan 
players, therefore SLRFU will take a decision on that, Sharks have given the release for them to join any club at the moment but next season we will make a huge impact”.
Furthermore, the other clubs will be waiting for news from the SLRFU on how much points they will receive whether bonus point, win or other. Mr. Nalin De Silva Hony. Secretary (SLRFU) said “we have a committee meeting tomorrow will to decide on this”.
