Defending champs Kandy kicks off new season beating CH

KSC Tharinda Ratwatte about to pass the ball 

By Shamseer Jaleel 

Kandy Sports Club, the defending league champions kicked off the Nippon Paint Major Inter Club Rugby League 2023/2024 season with an unimpressive 22 points (4 tries, 1 conversion) to 13 points (1 try, 1 conversion, 2 penalties) win over CH and FC at Nittawela Rugby Stadium yesterday.

At the short breather Kandy led 17/3.

The game never reached the level expected by the spectators as it was error-full game with CH doing most of the handling errors. Kandy during this half managed to score three unanswered tries. CH looked slow in their line movement and later in the second half looked a yard faster in their approach. Hirusha Sampath their full back was outstanding both in defence as well in attack for the Colombo outfit. Skipper Avantha Lee too played his heart out for CH.

Kandy on their part played well in patches with their second rower, Thilina Bandara being outstanding both in defence as well in attack. Both their wingers, Diluksha Dange and Dinal Ekanayake too looed threatening on attack splitting the CH defence all over. Kandy lost out Nigel Ratwatte early in the second half for a high tackle and yellow card offence.

This cost them a lot in the end. During the next 10 minutes CH managed to score a try, convert plus put over a penalty and made a bold comeback by scoring 10 points. But in the end they attacked and made some vital handling errors closer to the try line. Hirusha Sampath was taken off in the last 10 minutes of the game which sealed Kandy’s win.

Kandy SC drew first blood in the 10th minute of the game through their second rower, Thilina Bandara, Tharinda Ratwatte missed the conversion. 15 minutes later, CH full back and former Kingswoodian, Hirusha Sampath was on target with a penalty kick after missing one early in the game. Kandy attacking several times scored far left through their scrum half, Heshan Jensen. Tharinda Ratwatte made a difficult conversion to take the lead 12/3. On stroke of half time Thilina Bandara touched down for his second try.

After the turn around Kandy scored their 4th and bonus point try through Nigel Ratwatte. Tharinda once again missed the conversion. Kandy losing Nigel for yellow offence gave space for CH skipper, Avantha Lee try and Hirusha Sampath made the conversion plus put over another penalty. But in the end CH ran out of time.

Referee Priyantha Gunaratne.