Magnificent fight back by sailors at Welisara:

Navy humbles defending champs Kandy Sports Club

Havies beat CR after five years in a thriller at Longden Place:

By Ranjan Amandappa

Sri Lanka Navy hit back with a vengeance to avenge their first round defeat at the hands of Kandy SC when they beat a strong Kandy outfit by 29 points (1 goal, 2 tries and 4 penalties) to 25 (3 tries, 1 goal, 1 penalty) win in a Caltex League second round match played at Welisara yesterday. Kandy SC could not live upto expectation in the initial half of the game due to the attacking brand of rugby produced by the Sailors. The Sailors’ forwards and the back division combined well to give them a useful 18-8 lead at the breather.

For the Navy Number 8 Namal Rajapaksa, Danushka Fernando and Dilip Methruwan scored a try each while Dev Anand added the extra points and fired over the penalties.

Kandy after an unimpressive first half came back to the game through their three quarter line. They flourished for a moment and attacked during the latter stage of the game and was almost successful in toppling the sailors. Winger Sanjeeva Jayasinghe scored twice while Sajith Saranga, Fazil Marija and Roshan Weeraratne touched once each.

Nizam Jamaldeen refereed.

Meanwhile Havelock Sports Club beat CR & FC by a solitary point 25 (1 goal, 3 tries, and a penalty) to 24 (2 goals, 2 tries) in a pulsating Caltex League second round match at Longden Place yesterday.

Havelocks had to wait for five years to make a significant impact in the local rugby scene with the win, as CR&FC had to blame themselves for not having a reliable place kicker which denied them some valuable points which would have made the major difference. But credit should be given to Havelocks which had the spectators guessing for the final result of the game till the end.

CR & FC dominated during most part of the game through their spectacular forwards display. The “Red Shirts” back division failed to provide the cutting edge for the side which their forwards sweated so much. The ‘CR’ forwards spearheaded by number eight Dushan Lewke, props Chinthaka Samaraweera and Henry Terrence, Dunstan de Silva, hooker Anuja Perera and Ishan Noor drove into rucks and mauls to win possession but could not convert the good work into points.If the CR & FC forwards excelled and gained territorial advantage, it was the Havelocks back division which had Pushpakumara, centre Anurudha Willawara, Talak, winger Chamara Vithanage and scrum half Ajmad Buksh put the Havies in an advantageous position. They grab into every opportunity and whenever Havelocks were in possession they looked dangerous.

The winners opened scoring in the tenth minute of the game when centre Taula Talaks made a mid field break and Chamara Vithanage covered good ground to score an unconverted try.

Havelocks went on to plant two more tries through Anuradha Willawara which Ajmad Buksh added the extra points and Isuru Shanaka. Then CR & FC reduced the lead by scoring two unconverted tries when Ashan de Costa completed a three quarter move and Heshan Gunaratne crossing the Havies line in similar fashion. Havelocks led 17-10 at half time.

CR&FC came back strongly on resumption with their forward play that rattled Havelocks. Skipper and number 8 Dushan Lewke scored through a typical forwards play which Mohammed Sherif giving the extras points to level the score 17-17. Havelocks were awarded a penalty when the CR line was blown off side and Buksh put over the kick to go into the lead 20-17.

Minutes later Ajmad Buksh of havelocks picked up a loose ball and crashed through the defence to touch down. Buksh taking over the kicking process missed the conversion. During the dying stages of the match Dushan Lewke scored once again off a push over try which Mohammed Sherif gave them the extra points to make the final tally 25-24 in favour of Havelocks.Priyantha Gunaratne refereed.