Second-string Kandy sink Navy 66/5

Monday, 20 January 2025 03:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Kandy SC centre Danushka Ranjan slings out a pass

By Shamseer Jaleel at Nittawela

A second-string Kandy Sports Club, resting four of their regulars, continued their unbeaten run in the Mastercard Inter-Club Rugby Tournament 2024/2025 when they handed off lowly placed Navy Sports Club by 66 points (10 tries, 8 conversions) to 5 points (1 try) under wet conditions at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium last evening.

At the short breather, Kandy SC led 38/0.

Kandy completely dominated with their second-string outfit, handing off the Sailors who were all at sea. Kandy looked threatening in their three-quarter move, while their forwards too looked mobile and full of energy.

The young set of Kandy forwards stood out with their number 8, Dahan Wickramarachchi, being omnipresent, having a great outing along with Dinal Ekanayake, Asiri Seneviratne, and Danushka Ranjan.

Kandy went through a blitz of 10 tries to which the Navy outfit could reply with only a solitary try.

Kandy played without their three senior players, Nigel Ratwatte, Tarinda Ratwatte, and Kavindu Perera, for this encounter. Diluksha Dange returned with his first game this season, along with Shanushka Abeywickrema, while former Kingswoodians Hirusha Sampath, Ihshan Inoon made their debut for Kandy, along with former Vidyartha skipper Gayan Perera.

Kandy drew first blood in the third minute of the game through a forward’s rush that ended in a try for Kenula Hettiarachchi. The try was converted by Hirusha Sampath. A few minutes later, Thilina Bandara and Danushka Ranjan touched down for Kandy to take the score to 19/0. With the game only 20 minutes old, Kandy scored their bonus point try through Dahan Wickramarachchi. There was time for two more first-half tries by Thilina Bandara and Dinal Ekanayake. Out of the six tries scored in the initial half, Hirusha converted four of them.

After the turnaround, Kandy scored more tries through Dahan, Ranjan, and Gayan Perera. Sampath had good kicking accuracy in his debut game, putting over eight of the try conversions, while Navy scored a solitary try through burly prop Stephan Gregory.

The first lady Referee Charani Liyanage, officiating as the main referee in a club ‘A’ Division encounter, had a good game.