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Friday Nov 15, 2024
Monday, 24 February 2020 00:44 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Kandy Hooker Damith Dissanayake on his way to score his second try
By Shamseer Jaleel
Kandy Sports Club continued their unbeaten run in the league when they outplayed CR & FC by 39 points (six tries, three conversions, one penalty) to 15 points (two tries, one conversion, one try) at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium yesterday.
At the short breather Kandy led 10/3.
Both teams made number of handling errors in the earlier half. Kandy did settled well with an early try but CR kept on attacking in Kandy half most of the first half but failed to cross the home teams line. Further there were number of decision-making errors by CR captain who opted for the touch kick instead of kickable penalties early in the game. In fact the Red Shirts got two kickable penalties but missed out on them. This could have kept them in the game.
But after the turnaround Kandy played a different brand of rugby. Tharinda Ratwatte led from the front with either some booming touch kicks or opted to work the three-quarter line. Nigel Ratwatte carrying an injury too led the team well. In forwards play both Damith Dissnayake and Shehan Pathirana stood out. For the Red Shirts Sharo Fernando played his heart out along with Mursheed Zubair. Reza Rafaideen did not get much opportunity of running as the ball hardly reached him.
Kandy drew first blood in the third minute of the game through a sweeping three-quarter move in the end Buddhima Piyaratne touched down. CR got two opportunities to put over penalties but they opted to kick to touch and attack. But Kandy line stood firm and did not allow them to cross the line. Later in the first half Mursheed Zubair put over a penalty for the Red Shirts.
After the turnaround Kandy scored through a forwards rush when their number 8 Buwanaka Udangamuwa went over. Kandy who kept on attacking scored their third try through a reverse pass by Roshan Weeraratne sent hooker Damith Dissnayake over the try line. Tharinda Ratwatte added the extra two points.
CR who kept on attacking scored their first try through hooker Supun Warunakulasuriya. Kandy was unstoppable as Damith Dissnayake went over for his second try. Then Kandy bounced back through a superb interception by skipper, Nigel Ratwatte who sent Soooriyabandara the replacement scrum half to cover nearly 45 m and score. CR who never gave up scored their second try through full back Kevin Dixon. Reza Rafaideen added the extra two points.
Buwanaka’s younger brother Bawantha Udangmuwa made a late entry in to the game scored his first try for Kandy. As CR ran out of time Kandy SC’s Tharinda Ratwatte who had a magnificent game put over a penalty for them to remain unbeaten in the league so far. Referee Priyantha Gunaratne.
Kandy will host Havelock Sports Club on 1 March at Nittawela.
