Sunday Sep 22, 2024
Sunday Sep 22, 2024
Tuesday, 15 November 2016 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Kandy Sports Club, defending triple champions, was edged out in a tense battle in Ratmalana over the weekend. In the end, the Airmen beat the up country outfit 24-21 to inflict an unlikely loss for this season. At the short breather, the home team led 14-7. This defeat came for the up country club after more than three decades.
Ishara Madushan scored the first Air Force try with Charith Senevirathne adding the extra two points to take a 7-0 lead. Kandy lost many scoring opportunities due to poor ball handling, missing out on at least three scoring chances in the first half. They saw the try line at last when Dhanushka Dyan scored the first Kandy try with Arshard Jamaldeen adding the extra two points to level scores at 7 apiece. Air Force scored their second try soon after through hooker Lahiru Udayanga with Charith Seneviratne adding the extra points. Air Force was far superior in set pieces and counter rucking against an experienced Kandy outfit that looked off color.
After the turn-around, the Air Force scored through Ram Rumesh with Charith Seneviratne once again accurate with his kick at goal. Kandy even brought injured Fazil Marija in the later half. Sashika Jayawardena scored Kandy’s second try with Jamaldeen adding the extra two points. Kandy scored their third try through Fazil Marija with Thilina converting to level scores at 21 apiece. The Airmen who were reduced to 13 men due to two yellow card offences, sealed the game in the dying moments through Charith Seneviratne when he was on target with a penalty kick as Referee Aruna Rankothge blew the final whistle. Only question asked by many rugby fans was whether Kandy took it easy.
Kandy SC winger Vishwamithra Jayasinghe is well tackled by an Air Force player
The Army played cohesive rugby after losing out to CR last weekend in a nail bitter. This time it was CH who were at the receiving end. The Soldiers led 17-7 at the short breather and played a game well spread with almost the same pace the entire 80 minutes. For Army, Chemmera Silva (two tries), Sanjeeva Hapugaskumbura, Sumedha Nanayakkara, Mohamed Rizvi and Arvinda Karunarathne scored with Salinda on target with three conversions plus one penalty. For CH, Janith Chndimal and Mohamed Rifkan scored the tries with Fareez Ali converting one of the tries.
Meanwhile, Havies continued their winning form in the inter-league rugby when they outclassed and outplayed a pathetic Police outfit 37-7. At the short breather the park club led 23 to nothing. For the Havies tries were scored by Prath Madushanka (2), Chamara Dabare and Nishon Perera with Dulaj Perera converting four of the tries and putting over three penalties. For the Cops Jo Perera scored the only try with Rajitha Sansoni on target with the kick at goal.
Though CR played well in the initial 20 minutes they failed to score in their match against the Navy. The Navy scored first through their burly number eight Nivanka Prasad with Thilina Weerasinghe adding the extra two points. CR reduced the gap with two penalties by Reza Mubarak.
After the turn-around, the Sailors scored through centre Lahiru Herath. Thilina Weerasinghe added the extra two points to increase their lead to 14 points.
Navy increased their lead further through prop Charith Silva with Thilina continuing his good form with a kick at goal to take the lead to 21 points. The Red Shirts who were searching for the try line for almost 70-plus minutes were able to reach it through dashing winger Shashan Mohamed and Reza Mubarak added the extra two points only to lose out 13-21.
