Will Kandy Sports Club manage to get the monkey off their back – of losing out to top sides in Colombo – as they make their way down to Havelock Park in a do-or-die encounter to defend their Dialog Rugby League title in the final league game of the 2018/19 season.
Two games against the top sides and two defeats have compounded woes for Kandy Sports Club, however, has the commanding performance up at Nittawela reinvigorated Kandy?
Most Recent Encounter
Havelock Sports Club were made to sweat it out against CR & FC at home, but another superior ‘off the bench’ performance by Mithun Hapugoda saw him turn the tide, snatching a 21-14 victory for the Park lads.
The win was far from convincing for Havelock’s and they will surely be knowing a turnaround performance will be required if they are to defeat the defending champions in a ‘winner takes it all’ final.
Read – Havies pip Kandy to top spot
In similar fashion, Kandy Sports Club stormed past CH & FC to record a convening 31-13 win at home. Kandy was unconvincing at the end of the first half, trailing 3-6, however, a storming second half saw them finally hit their straps to get back to winning ways.
Read More – Kandy trounce CH
Last Meeting
The last time these two teams met was as recently as two weeks ago. 16th February saw Havelock Sports Club make a remarkable comeback to defeat Kandy at the Park, to take top spot at the end of the round robin stage in the Dialog Rugby League.
Kandy dominated the opening exchanges and went on to take a 19-7 lead at the end of the first half, however, a superlative comeback saw Havelock’s pip Kandy, winning by a slender margin of 2-points, ending 28-26, handing the hosts the minor premiership of the Dialog Rugby League.
Havies pip Kandy to top spot
A stunning second half performance helped Havelocks come from behind to defeat…
What to look out for
More of the same will be the call from both teams back room staff. Havelock’s have won all but one game in 2019 – a game in which they were comprehensively beaten -. Their forwards have dominated every other team in the league and if they are to get over the most important game of their season, their forwards will need to continue what they have been doing extremely well.
Reeza Mubarak, Mithun Hapugoda, Theekshana Dasanayake’s heroics coupled with their on-song forwards, and we have no doubt of what to expect from a Havies team in full flow.
Kandy will no doubt have to be at their best if they are to ‘upset’ Havelock’s on their own paddock. However, having said that, if Kandy bring out an all-round performance similar to the show they put on against CH & FC, the visitors will no doubt be in with a massive chance to defend their League title.
Key Match ups
The Havies three-quarters got the upper hand in surprising fashion the last time these two teams met at home.
ThePapare.com Player of the Match in the previous encounter, Randy Silva shone making his opposition look like school kids. He will no doubt be seeking to put in yet another big performance as he lines up against an under-performing Richard Dharmapala.
The backrow battle will be one to look forward to yet again. Jason Dissanayake has been another Kandy player who has gone unnoticed this season. On the other hand, Senal Deelaka has played his heart out and will no doubt be aiming to put in yet another mammoth shift on Sunday.
Sharo Fernando was another Havelock forward who put in a massive shift in their last meeting and his match up against Suhiru Anthony will be yet another battle within the battle to have a close eye on.
Team News
Dinuk Amarasinghe’s absence finally seems to be over as he looks to slot back in to the center this weekend. Playing on one foot last weekend, Azmeer Fajudeen seems to have shrugged off his ankle scare to continue his scintillating season for Havelock Sports Club.
Dushmantha Pryadarshana looks set to continue on the sideline as he recovers from a knee trouble. Meanwhile Mithun Hapugoda will no doubt be looked at once again to come off the bench and add the finishing touches to the game for one final time in the League this season.
Shehan Pathirana looks fit to line up for Kandy in the decider while Buwaneka Udangamuwa may very well return following his battle with a groin injury.
Predictions
Will Havelock Sports Club be able repeat their heroic win from two weeks ago? I think they will manage to scrape their way over the line.
Havelock Sports Club to win by 2-6 Points.
Meanwhile CH & FC will surely be aiming to bounce back from their defeat at the hands of Kandy as they seek to make it two out of three against CR & FC as the two losers from the first super round games face off for bragging rights in the Maitland Place Darby.
- First meeting: Ratwatte penalty helps CR scrape home in opener
- Second meeting: CR get a thumping beating from CH
The Maitland Crescent lads were finally defeated by Kandy up at Nittawela bringing an end to their 9-game unbeaten run.
CR & FC will be aiming to end a torrid 2018/19 League campaign with a win in a grudge encounter, however, with inconsistency being their tag line throughout the season, a win seems to be a steep task in their final game.
CH & FC to win by 8-15 Points.
