Rugby returns after 17 months

• First leg of Commanders Cup Rugby 2021 today

By Shamseer Jaleel

CH & FC Head Coach Rohitha Rajapaksa

Sri Lanka Air Force Head Coach Shamly Nawas

The oval shaped ball game will return to the island when two A division rugby clubs, Sri Lanka Air Force and CH & FC lock horns in the first edition of the Commanders Cup 2021 rugby encounter at Ratmalana today.

Kick-off is scheduled at 4:45 pm.

Club rugby is returning to the playing field after almost a lapse of nearly 17 months. The 2019 edition of the Clifford Cup knockout rugby was cancelled with COVID ripping through the country and all the sporting activities coming to a halt soon after the completion of the league rugby encounters in 2019.

CH & FC and Sri Lanka Air Force were to play their first leg in Kurunegala but later shifted to Ratmalana for better control of health and precautions taken by both management of the teams. This encounter had received the green light from both Ministry of Health and Sports. 

This encounter will give more prominence for young school leavers who make up their numbers in both teams. CH & FC will be led by former Thomian and national sevens skipper Sudarshana Muthuthanthri while the Sri Lanka Air Force outfit will be led by W.A.K.N. Perera.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will grace the occasions as the Chief Guest. The second leg will take place at the same venue on 20 August.

Sri Lanka Air Force Head Coach Shamly Nawas speaking to Daily FT said: “After a long break of almost two years, we are very excited and happy to be playing with CH and FC today. Getting the Air Force team ready with just five weeks of training was a difficult task but hats off to the majority of the players for keeping their fitness levels above average by doing self-training. This allowed us to focus more on skill work, units, and team structures.” 

He also said: “CH & FC has a new set of players and beating them is going to be a challenge. Nevertheless, the Air Force players are very much determined to give their best today. We have a mix of experienced players as well fresher, taking the field.  Aruna (9), Iddamalgoda (10), Wasantha (6), Madagedara (1), Weralla (8) and Ishara (13) are some of the experiened players we have in the team.”

Speaking further, the former Isipathana and Sri Lanka Sevens player Shamly said: “We do have a 50/50 mix on our forwards and backs play too. We are very much elated that rugby is back in the island and our focus is more on enjoying the game this year. I am grateful to all who made this possible.”

CH & FC

• Sudarshana Muthuthantri (Capt.), Prasath Madushanka, Joel Perera, Senura Perera, Yohan Fernando, Wajid Fawmy, Shehan Diasz, Sudam Sooriyaarahchci, Avishka Lee, Kushan Indunil, Reza Raffaideen, Hirantha Perera, Janidu Dilshan, Thenuka Nanayakkara, Rashen Gunawardena, Avantha Lee, Hirusha Sampath, Chinthaka Lahiru, Shemal Weerasekara, Kevin Dixon, Udara Lakshan, Shenuka Herath and Malinga Sheshan
• Forwards Coach – Rajeev Perera
• Head Coach – Rohitha Rajapaksa

Sri Lanka Air Force

• W.A.K.N. Perera (Captain), H.R. Wasantha, U.V.P.N.S. Weralla, W.M.S. Bandara, S.S.M. Kaushan, K.G.C.B. Senavirathna, M.M.G. Iddamalgoda, R.P. Medagedera, J.P.I. Madushan, R.M.P.S.B. Ratnayake, U.N.G. Silva, H.M.R. Perera, W.W.S.S.H. Thilakaratne, K.N.W. Wickremasinghe, G.L.D. Weerasinghe, G.M.I.C. Aponsu, R.A. Hettiarachchi, K.H.R. Madushanka, Y.D. Perera, M.A.S. Fernando, A.T.D. Dabare and A.K.M.F. Ali
• Head Coach – Shamly Nawas
• Air Force Rugby Chairman – Group Capt. Subash Jayathilake

Match Officials 

• Referee – Ishanka Abeykoon
• Assistant Referees – Kelum Sandaruwan and Deepal Punyawardena
• Sub Official Manager – Kamil Hadji
• Coach Match Official – Irshard Cader