Dialog Clifford Cup knockout Rugby:

CR beat Havies 34-27

A young CR and FC rugby team dished out a superb brand of open rugby where they came from behind 8 Nil down, 20 minutes in to the first half to beat Havelock SC in their Dialog inter club Clifford Cup knockout rugby tournament semi final match with a sensational 34 points (5 Tries, 3 Penalties) to 27 ( 2 Goals 2 Tries, 1 Penalty) yesterday at Race Course Grounds in Reid Avenue. The scores were deadlocked at 15 at half time.

The match got off to a brisk start with both teams battling it out for supremacy where Havies drew first blood in the sixth minute of play when their tireless third row forward Sudarshana Muthuthanthri went over for a try off a rolling maul. Fly half Shamri Burah missed the conversion. Havelock went in to a 5 Nil lead.

Havies scored again in the 10th minute when their fly half Shamri Burah fired across a 35 metre penalty to increase their lead where they went in to an 8 Nil lead.

In the 15th minute CR and FC cut down the lead when their full back Prince Chamara put over a 40 metre penalty.

The red shirts closed down the gap in the 24th minute when their ever reliable national flanker Jason Dissanayake joined the line off a sweeping three quarter move and darted down 60 metres to score far left. Full back Chamara missed the difficult conversion and scores were level at 8 all.

CR and FC stormed in to the score sheet again when Scrum half Kavindu De Costa collected a loose ball and sprinted down 60 metres before sending fly half Tharinda Ratwatte over for a try under the post in the 34th minute of play. Chamara made the conversion to give CR 15 points to 8 lead for the first time in the game.

At the stroke of half time Havelocks made the equaliser in the 38th minute when off a ruck prop forward Dushmantha Chameera crashed through for a try which was converted by Burah.

Soon after the break in the 46th minute off play full back Hirantha Perera went over the line for a try off a three quarter move. Replacement fly half Rimzie Jamaldeen missed the conversion and Havies went in to a 20 points to 15 lead.

In the 70th minute off a roaring three quarter move CR national scrum half Kavindu de Costa set the three quarters in motion where their speedy winger Kavindu Perera collected the ball and burst through for fabulous try. Full back Chamara missed the conversion and the score were equaled at 20 all.

Immediately after CR and FC scored again when off a spectacular three quarter move flanker Jason Dissanayaka broke through nearly 50 metres to give the ball to Costa to send second row forward Shemal Weerasekara over for a sensational try under the post. Chamara made the conversion and increased their tally to 27 points to 20.

Within two minutes Havies made the equaliser again when off a ruck hooker Prasath Madusanka scored. Jamaldeen made the conversion to read the score 27 all.

In the last minute of play CR and FC virtually sealed the match when scrum half Costa who had an outstanding game broke through for a certain try but just inches away from the try line he was brought down by the Havies defence. Off the ensuing ruck replacement hooker Arun Kumar crashed through for a try under the post where full back Chamara fired across the conversion to take CR and FC to a commendable 34 points to 27 win in the end.

Referee - Tim Backer from Hong Kong (WAI)