Navy drown Sharks at Beliatta

Monday, 3 November 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Text and Pictures by P D DE SILVA Defending champs Sri Lanka Navy defeated the Hambantota Sharks 35-15 in the opening game of the Dialog Rugby League 2014/2015 season, played at the D.A Rajapaksa Stadium in Beliatta on Friday. Navy scored five tries which were successfully converted but the Sharks were unable to get past the strong Navy defence and had to settle for five penalties awarded by referee Pradeep Fernando.

Navy’s Achala Perera scored the first try 12 minutes into the game and skipper Yoshitha Rajapsksa scored the second in the 16th minute. Riza Mubarak made no mistake with the conversions to give the Navy a 14-0 lead. Amjaad Bucksh scored two penalties for the Sharks in the 22nd and 28th minutes to make the score 14-6. Once again Yoshitha Rajapaksa scored in the 32nd minute of the game and Joeli Lutumailagi scored soon after for Navy and Riza Mubarak converted. Navy led 28-6 at halftime. Yoshitha Rajapaksa scored his third try of the day 52 minutes into the game while the Sharks scored off three penalties. The Sri Lanka Navy team was led by Yoshitha Rajapaksa and comprised Henrey Terrence, Achala Perera, Eranga Swarnathilaka, Kalana Amarasinghe, Sharoo Fernando, Dhanushka Perera, Sajith Saranga, Suranga Pushpakumara, Chanaka Chandimal, Chamara Dabarae, Lee Keegal, Joeli Luthumailagi, Dinusha Fernando and Mubarak Riza. Roshan Pushpitha, Kasun de Silva, Dulanjana Wijesooriya, Kanchana Perera, Suchira Anthony, Saliya Handapangoda, Vishwamithra JayasingheDev Anandh were reserves. The Sharks, led by Janik Jayasooriya, featured Udaya Kumara, Nazar Rizva, Shehan Perera, Pubudu Kodagoda, Niraj Gunasinghe, Rizvi Mohamed, Navin Pullikuttiarachchi, Amjaad Bucksh, Priyantha Ekanayake, Rumesh Ramdas, Rajitha Samarasinghe, Naeque Joseph Dunn, Ashan Jayasekera and Uthpala Edirisinghe. Sathsara Basnayaka, Dimal Jasinghe, Rukmal Dissanayaka, Andrew Jegan, Lahiru Mudalige, Lahiru Sachinthana, Damith Udayanga, Salinda Ekanayaka.