Colombo Blues reign supreme 36-27

By Dilanka MANNAKARA

RUGBY: The Colombo Blues beat Kandy Reds by 36 points to 27 in their inaugural All-Star rugby encounter played at Longden Place yesterday. Colombo scored their points through three goals and three tries while Kandy scored through one goal and four tries. The match was a spectacular one as the mammoth crowd gathered at the CR and FC grounds witnessed the cream of school rugby where the best rugby players of Kandy and Colombo Schools clashed against each other in a thrilling encounter. The Colombo side was captained by Thomian fly half Shaveen Kapuwatte while Kingswood Skipper and fullback Rajith Sansoni was the skipper of the Kandy side.

Both sides played fast open rugby during the first few minutes of play and Kandy drew first blood as wing three quarter Dhanushka Wijesinghe dashed off a second phase move to score near the corner flag. Rajith Sansoni missed the conversion. The score was at 5-0 in favour of Kandy. Colombo bounced back in the 21st minute as centre Anurudha Wilvara who had an outstanding game ran 25 meters to score a wonderful try. Fly half Prasad Devinda of Isipathana made the conversion. The scoreline was 7 -5 favouring Colombo. In the 30th minute Colombo once again made inroads through the Kandy defence as outside winger Sandun Herath chipped the ball on to inside winger Chamara Dabare who scored near the corner flag. Devinda failed to convert 12 - 5.

Kandy Reds looked threatening in the next few minutes as they made several breaks and came close to scoring and in the 37th minute of play No. 8 Rajaguru who stormed through the Colombo defence scored a blistering try. Sansoni failed to convert and at lemons the score was at 12 - 10 favouring Colombo Blues.

After a few minutes of play in the second half, winger Lakith Perera who replaced Herath raced through the Kandy line with some lovely side steps to score twice in the space of two minutes. Both tries were unconverted and the score stood at 22 - 10. Soon afterwards Colombo Blues second row forward Suhiru Anthony was shown the yellow card for a neck tackle.

Then came possibly the best passage of play for Colombo as winger Mayura Sanjeewa who replaced the injured Chamara Dabare ran almost 30 meters in to the Kandy territory and passed the ball on to star centre Wilwara who made some breath taking moves and made an inside pass to fly half Mushin Faleel who scored under the post. Prasad Devinda converted 29-10.

Kandy bounced back once again in the 67th minute as flanker Wadugodapitiya scored through a rolling mall. Kandy once again was in business as centre Lawanka Perera scored by exploiting on the mistakes made by the Colombo forwards. Sansoni converted and the score stood at 29-22. In the 75th minute of play Colombo once again scored through winger Mayura Sanjeewa who made the Kandy defence look mere spectators. In the dying minutes of play Kandy fly half Tharindu Chanaka scored a consolation try which was converted by Sansoni.

Referee: Dilroy Fernando.