President Rajapaksa Trophy:

Defence Services battle SLRFU XV

A thrilling match is on the cards when a formidable Defence Services team led by dynamic flanker Yoshitha Rajapaksa of Navy confront a SLRFU President’s XV for the President Rajapaksa Trophy at Navy grounds, Welisara today at 4.00 p.m.

Up front a terrific tussle for supremacy can be expected with the marauding Defence Services ‘eight’ especially Meepage, Saumya Silva, Kurukulasuriya, Malewana, Jayalal and skipper Yoshitha Rajapaksa being confronted by equally good forwards in Walpola, Terrence, Karthelis, Noor, Danushka Perera and Selvam.

However the SLRFU President’s XV will have a superior back division.
 

In Srinath Sooriyabandara and Naren Dhason they have a fine halves combination while centres Pradeep Liyanage and Lasintha de Costa are hard runners who are capable of piercing the opponents defence while on the wings they will have the services of that powerful runner Dinesh Kumara in addition to an attacking full back in Saliya Kumara.

Defence Services - Nushal Meepage (Army), Asoka Jayalal (Army), Saumya Silva (Air Force), Ajit Susantha (Army), Pradeep Kurukulasuriya (Air Force), R. M. G. Ratnayake (Army), Yoshitha Rajapaksa (Captain, Navy), Sumedha Malawana (Navy) or Namal Rajapaksa (Navy), Saliya Handapangoda (Army), and Dev Anand (Navy), M. E. R. C. Silva (Navy), Asanka Perera (Army), Nilfer Ibrahim (Navy), Suranga Arunashantha (Air Force), Eranda Weerakkody (Navy).

SLRFU President’s XV - Kasun Yasaisuru (Kandy SC), Anuranga Walpola (Kandy SC), Henry Terrence (CR and FC) or Danushka Boteju (CR and FC), Ashen Karthelis (CR and FC), Ishan Noor (CR and FC), Danushka Perera (CR and FC), Dilip Selvam (Kandy SC) or Sharo Fernando (CH and FC), Dushanth Lewke (CR and FC), Srinath Sooriyabandara (CR and FC) and Naren Dhason (CH and FC), Dinesh Kumara (CR and FC), Pradeep Liyanage (Captain, Kandy SC), Lasintha De Costa (CR and FC), Sameera Silva (Kandy SC) or D. Chathuranga (CR and FC), Saliya Kumara (Kandy SC).