Tuesday Dec 24, 2024
Tuesday Dec 24, 2024
Monday, 16 January 2023 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Nippon Paint General Manager Nemantha Abeysinghe at the team introduction
By Shamseer Jaleel
Defending League Champions, Kandy Sports Club once again won their second Colombo outing this time against the Police Sports Club 22/12 but once more the win was far from high class for a defending champions outfit. At one time the score stood at 12 a-piece with the game could have gone either way.
At the short breather winners led 12/5.
Cops were in good control of the game in the first 20 minutes of play playing some cohesive rugby. But it was Tharinda Ratwatte who drew first blood for Kandy SC with a powerful move. He added the extra two points to take a 7/0 lead.
With Kavindu Perera handed a Yellow, his back-to-back card saw Police finding the try line through Rasith Silva try to reduce the deficit to two points. Kandy went ahead through their nippy scrum half, Srinarth Sooriyabandara try. Scores stood at 12/5 favouring the defending champion.
After the turn around, Police were awarded with a penalty try where the scrum was repeatedly collapsed by the Kandy outfit. Kandy SC through their experience drew into Cops half and started moving their powerful three-quarter line but the Cops too were top in defence being rock solid. In the 65th minute Tharinda Ratwatte took Kandy into the lead through a penalty kick.
Tharinda Ratwatte who hit top gear scored and converted the last Kandy try to take the lead further to 22/12. Kandy kept on attacking in the Cops territory but the home team defence was solid and the experienced Kandy three quarters could not find the try line.
Kandy, who was minus six of their seniors due to injury, were denied a bonus point. Skipper Damith Dissnayake, Lasith Atthanagoda, Heshan Kalhara, Tharindu Chathuranga, Diluksha Dange and Sanushka Abeywickrema all are nursing with injuries and doubtful for first round games.
Referee Raveen Alexander.
