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Asian Five Nations Rugby:
Line judge’s error costly for Lanka
By Ranjan ANANDAPPA
Sri Lanka was denied of a certain win due to an error of judgement by
the side referee D. Nimal who indicated the field referee Anthony Tobi
Lothian from Hong Kong that the match winning try scored by Lasinda de
Costa came off a knock on as the Asian Five Nation Rugby encounter
between the United Arab Emirates and the Sri Lankan ‘Tuskers’ ended in a
13 all draw at Longden Place yesterday. Both teams scored two tries and
a penalty each as the scoreless first half did not produce anything
spectacular due to heavy rain that prevailed and prevented the
spectators of a game of exciting rugby.
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Action at the Asian Five Nations Rugby encounter between Sri
Lanka and UAE United Arab Emirates at CR & FC ground. The
Match ended in a 13 all draw. |
The wet ball and the soggy conditions underfoot did not permit teams
to produce their best and it was confined to a forward battle skipper
and Number 8 Sean with Wijesinghe, flanker Yositha Rajapakse and fly
half Fazil Marija playing tirelessly in a mud larkers battle. UAE’s
Michael Coxhill and Steve Osbourn gave their side the advantage winning
the line outs and their forwards too played a pivotal role in the loose.
Side judge D. Nimal will surely have some sleepless nights because of
his error in judgement of a legally scored try which should have given
Sri Lanka the opportunity of remaining in the ‘A’ Division in the Asian
Region Five Nation Tournament. Now the Lankans will have the gigantic
task in defeating at least one of the other stronger teams in the
tournament Japan, Hong Kong and Kazakhstan to be in the ‘A’ Division.
In the second half both sides found a bit of their fluency and Nuwan
Hettiaarachchi fired over a penalty to put his side in the lead and
thereafter an unconverted try scored off a three quarter move by prop
Eranga Swarnathilleka stretched the home team lead to 8/0.
After Hettiaarachchi missing a penalty Jonathan Grady reduced the
lead for the UAE putting over a penalty. Dan Boutwright put the score on
par by scoring an unconverted try and winger Steve Smith gave the lead
for the visitors 13/8 with an unconverted try.
The Lankans who were trailing by five points found the equaliser when
Nuwan Hettiaarachchi covered good ground to touch down. Saliya Kumara
missed the conversion.
At this point two penalties were missed by Nuwan Hettiaarachchi and
Saliya Kumara and another by Jonathan Grady for UAE which should have
decided the winner.
Anthony Tobi Lothian of Hong Kong refereed.
In the other game played in the tournament in Kazakhstan. Hong Kong
beat host Kazakhstan 20-13. |
