|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 18 August 2002 |
 |
|
 |
Sports |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Kandy crowned Caltex League champs but lose to CR 15/32 by LAL GUNESEKERA Kandy Sports Club were crowned Caltex League rugby champions for the second consecutive year last evening at Longden Place, but their unbeaten record this season was tarnished. CR & FC pulled off a superb 32 points (2 goals, 3 tries, 1 penalty) to 15 (1 goal, 1 try, 1 penalty) win after the scores stood level (12-all) at half time. The CR had absolutely nothing to lose in this game and they played their hearts out. The forwards led by No. 8 Savantha de Saram were terrific in the loose and the outsides too looked dangerous - twice, right winger Hamish Gunaratne, made good runs but was brought down in time. Left winger Nishantha Kumara too made a few good runs, and they tackled low and hard. If only they had won their first round game which Kandy triumphed 31-17, and not lost to Police, CR, would have been able to regain the League title. Kandy SC, on the other hand, were minus four of their "stars" through injury. They were Haris Omar, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Nalaka Weerakoddy and Indrajith Bandaranayake. But this is certainly no excuse far their poor showing yesterday. The 'outsides' did attempt to make a game of it, but their tackling was weak and the forwards too played for below expectations, except for a few like Asoka Jayasena, Basnayake and Malith Silva. Within the first 15 minutes itself, Kandy, were leading 12-0 through two tries by Sajith Mallikaratchi and Nilufer Ibrahim through a fine interception by Chamara Vithanage. Then came CR's fight back. Scrum half Champika Nishantha slipped through off a five-metre scrum first in the 19th minute, and in the 37th minute, flanker Pavithra Fernando, who had a good game, went over off a short-tap. After the "turn around", CR went ahead through a try by second rower Sumeda Jayasinghe in the third minute, and six minutes later, off a quick short tap winger Hamish Gunaratne flew over 60 metres to touch down. Charith Kodagoda who missed two conversions earlier, made certain of one. (CR 24-12). Kandy reduced the deficit with a 30-metre penalty by Radhika Hettiaratchi in the 11th minute. Then came a simple 20-metre penalty by Kodagoda for CR to lead 27-15 in the 22nd minute, while in the 36th minute, Pavithra Fernando scored his second try for the game to put the issue beyond doubt. Kodagoda failed with the conversion again. Aruna Jayasekera refereed. Managing Director of Caltex, Kishore Gomes, gave away the Caltex League Trophy to Kandy Sports Club at the end of the game. Two minutes silence was observed before the game for P. Ratna Varma, a senior member of the CR & FC, who had died under tragic circumstances in England. Today: Police vs Havelocks The final game of the League Tournament between Police and Havelocks will be played today at Police Park at 5 p.m. The chief guest will be Anton Benedict, a former Police captain under whom they won the title for the first occasion. He later captained Havelocks and Sri Lanka too, and is a former President of the SLRFU. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
