Kandy SC in stunning 16-6 win over Navy

By Sajeewa Jayakody

Former champions Kandy Sports Club came up with a stunning display to beat defending champions Navy Sports Club by 16 points (two tries, two penalties) to 6 (two penalties) in their Dialog ‘A’ Division League rugby match played at Welisara yesterday after leading 8-3 at ‘lemons’.

It was Navy’s first defeat for the season having won three matches in a row.

Kandy SC who had a narrow shave against Havelocks last week, came up with a fine display and surged into the lead in the fourth minute when scrum half Roshan Weeraratne made no mistake with a 25-metre penalty.

Twenty minutes later, Sri Lanka full back Reza Mubarak fired across a 40-metre penalty for Navy to make it 3-all.

Two minutes later, Kandy’s South African flanker Christoper Cloete smothered a clearance kick by a Navy defender and collected the ball to fall over for an unconverted try and Kandy SC led 8-3 which score remained till half time.

In the 15th minute after resumption, Kandy SC missed a chance of increasing their lead when Roshan Weeraratne failed to put over a 45-metre penalty.

But the visitors made amends for it in the 22nd minute when South African flanker Christoper Cloete scored his second try off a forward rush by the corner flag. Weeraratne failed to add the extra points and Kandy led 13-3.

The Sailors reduced the deficit when Reza Mubarak put over a simple 15-metre penalty and the score read 13-6.

The last 10 minutes of the match was played in pouring rain. But Roshan Weeraratne put the issue beyond doubt when he sent the ball sailing over the cross bar from a 45-metre penalty to give Kandy SC a superb 16-6 win to the delight of his team-mates.

Referee: Khaiul Hilmi of Malaysia