Nippon Paint Clifford Cup Final 2023 Blockbuster seasons finale at Racecourse

By Shamseer Jaleel

What a Grand Finale for the two teams in the Clifford Cup final on 5 March at Race Course where both CR and FC, who are celebrating their Centenary year and vastly improved outfit this season, and Navy Sports Club will be playing in the knockout final of the 100 plus years old esteemed cup which is the oldest trophy on offer in Asia.

Kick-off is scheduled at 4 p.m.

Both Kandy SC and CH and FC pulled out of the tournament this year. Kandy citing that they wanted Nittawela as their home venue while CH and FC could not field a team due to injuries in the season for their players which was surprising. Teams like Havies too had their injury worries for 11 of their players but still they were positive enough to give space for the young guns, which was a worthy course for the youngsters who worked hard for this.

Coming into this game, both Navy SC and CR and FC received byes and direct into semi-final encounters. CR got the better of the Cops 23/20 while in the other semi-final encounter Sailors won through a drop goal by Thilina Weerasinghe the game going into extra time after being deadlocked at 13-a-piece after full time.

CR under Dushantha Lewke’s coaching had done really well. In the League they improved from their seventh place to finish runner up to Kandy SC was outstanding. The players were committed and the CR Committee headed by the former Royal 1982 skipper and national player Ted Muttiah were outstanding. 

Whatever requirements necessary for the rugby outfit was delivered within a short span of time, which was luxury for the players as they needed only to concentrate on the game rather than worrying about sponsors.

Raveen de Silva, Suhiru Anthony, Vageesha Weerasinghe, Lasindu Ishan, Kavindu de Costa, Thenuka Nanayakkara, Chatura Seneviratne and Zubair Doray are top of their games. In fact, Chatura Senenvratne’s territory play was top class this season. His powerful kicks to touch found CR to stay on top and attack from opponents half majority of the time.

Meanwhile Sailors turned things around this season. Their Head Coach Saliya Kumara who turned Isipathana into a champion outfit last year took over the Welisara outfit in 2022. He changed things around and was tactically a high-class coach who proved himself in a very short span of time. S

kipper Harsha Maduranga the former Pathana player led from the front; his nippy play caught on the wrong foot by many opposition teams this season. Adeesha Weertunge, Musheen Faleel and Thilina Weerasinghe were outstanding for the Welisara camp.

Taking into consideration the performance both teams went through in the league and semi-final encounter in the Clifford Cup, it’s hard to give advantage one over the other. The team which settles early plus maintains good discipline in the field without Yellow and Red offences will walk away with the Cup. Last time CR and FC won the Clifford Cup was in 2006 while Navy last won in 2014.

The Women’s final will take place at the same venue between Sri Lanka Army SC and Sri Lanka Navy SC at 2.30 p.m.

CR and FC likely from

Lahiru Pavithra, Amith Gurusinghe, Kalinda Kariyawasam, Raveen de Silva, Suhiru Anthony, Achintha Radeeshan, Vageesha Weerasinghe, Lasindu Ishan, Kavindu de Costa (Capt), Thenuka Nanayakkara, Kalinda Nandila, Manilka Ruberu, Chatura Seneviratne, Gemunu Chethiya, Zubair Doray.

Navy SC likely from

Charith Silva, Pulasti Dassanayake, Deshan Vimukthi. Dhananjaya Seneviratne, Nirosh Perera, Gihan Perera, Adeesha Weerathunge, Janith Laksara, Harsha Maduranga, Dinesh de Silva, Thilina Weerasinghe, Musheen Faleel. Lahiru Herath, Gayan Anuruddha and Samuel Maduwantha.

Referee Gihan Yatawara

Asst. Referees Ishanka Abeykoon and Hasantha Weranga

Past winners of the Clifford Cup

1950 (Havelock SC), 1951 (Havelock SC), 1952 (CR and FC), 1953 (Dimbula), 1954 (CR and FC), 1955 (CR and FC), 1956 (CR and FC), 1957 (CH and FC), 1958 (CR and FC), 1959 (CR and FC and Dimbula), 1960 (CH and FC), 1961 (Havelock SC), 1962 (CH and FC), 1963 (Havelock SC), 1964 (Havelock SC), 1965 (CR and FC), 1966 (CR and FC), 1967 (Havelock SC), 1968 (Havelock SC), 1969 (CR and FC), 1970 (Havelock SC and Police SC), 1971 (CR and FC), 1972 (Police SC), 1973 (Army SC and Police SC), 1974 (Havelock SC), 1975 (Army SC), 1976 (Havelock SC), 1977 (Havelock SC), 1978 (Havelock SC), 1979 (Police SC), 1980 (Police SC), 1981 (Havelock SC), 1982 (CH and FC), 1983 (CH and FC), 1984 (Police SC), 1985 (Police SC), 1986 (Air Force SC), 1987 (CR and FC), 1988 (CR and FC), 1989 (CR and FC), 1990 (CH and FC), 1991 (Police SC), 1992 (Kandy SC), 1993 (Kandy SC), 1994 (CH and FC), 1995 (Kandy SC), 1996 (Kandy SC), 1997 (Kandy SC), 1998 (No tournament), 1999 (Kandy SC), 2000 (Kandy SC), 2001 (Kandy SC), 2002 (Kandy SC), 2003 (Kandy SC), 2004 (Kandy SC), 2005 (Kandy SC), 2006 (CR and FC), 2007 (Kandy SC), 2008 (Kandy SC), 2009 (Kandy SC), 2010 (Kandy SC), 2011 (Kandy SC), 2012 (Kandy SC), 2013 (No tournament), 2014 (Navy SC), 2015 (Kandy SC), 2016 (Kandy SC), 2017 (Kandy SC), 2018 (Kandy SC), 2019 (Havelock SC), 2020—2022 (No tournament).