Two former heavyweights Police SC and Navy SC will herald the 2022/23 SLR Nippon Paint Inter-Club League Rugby Tournament when they clash in the curtain-raiser game of the new season at Welisara today. The kick-off is at 4.00 p.m.
Both teams will take the field quite optimistic of making a winning start to the league having gone through their initial preparations and training for months with their dedicated coaching staff and mentors.
In fact, Police SC will look to continue from where they left during the previous season after emerging as the Cup Championship runners-up of the 2019/20 Inter-Club Tournament with a total of 60 points.
They were of course, far behind the unbeaten league champions Kandy SC (82 points), but nevertheless, Police SC were able to make a mark by recording nine victories and drew one game out of their 14 outings.
In contrast, the Sailors failed to produce the desired results as they managed to secure the runners-up spot in the Plate Championship after they ended in sixth place of the league with a total of 31 points.
This time both teams have got some fresh talent to showcase their potential and the pressure will now be on the senior players to keep their reputation and to lift their team towards great heights.
Hooker Rasith Silva is one player that Police SC will look for a repeat performance after his heroics in the previous season where he finished with eight tries to join an elite list of players.
Navy SC, of course, provided a glimpse of their capabilities when they clinched the Plate Championship at the recent SLR Inter-Club Sevens Tournament at the Racecourse Grounds in Colombo.
One of their outstanding players in that tournament was fly half Isuru Kongahawatta, who will be out to give another good performance after he finished as the second-best points scorer of the 2019/20 League Tournament. Kongahawatta was in tremendous form that season as a genuine place-kicker as he converted 28 tries and put over 10 penalties in addition to scoring a try for a final tally of 91 points.
Even though Police SC will have a slight edge over their opponents going into this opening game, the two teams ended up sharing the honours when they last met during the 2019/20 Inter-Club season.
Police SC, after trailing 7-8 at half time, came back magnificently to snatch a thrilling 26-18 win in the first-round game at Welisara but Navy SC dished out a powerful performance to clinch the second-round match more convincingly 44-24 at the Police Park.
