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| Sunday, 12 October 2003 |
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Hong Kong overcomes stiff Sri Lankan challenge to win 36/22 by S. M. JIFFREY ABDEEN Kandy Sports Corr. The visiting Hong Kong national rugby team overcame a strong challenge before they beat Sri Lanka by 36 points (4 goals, 1 try, 1 penalty) to 22 (1 goal, 3 tries) in their Rugby World Cup qualifying match played at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium, Kandy yesterday. At half time Hong Kong led 17-10. This is one match Sri Lanka would like to forget as they had a good chance of pulling off victory if not for some indifferent play. They fared very poorly in the line outs even losing their throw in. But the scrums appeared to be shared and once again in the loose play the local team did not measure upto standards. Had they played better in the loose, they could have turned the tables. They also had a fair share in the rucks and mauls. Sri Lanka started off well with full back Asanga Rodrigo joining the threes to score an unconverted try. Minutes later, Sri Lanka kept the scoreboard mounting again when winger Radhika Hettiarachchi collecting a pass from scrum half Amjad Buksh broke through the visitors defence to score and this too went unconverted. It was at this stage the visitors got their acts together and using their forward as their main strength kept play inside Sri Lanka territory before hooker Denton Stewart flunked his way to score and stand off Ben Harris added the extra point. Hong Kong (7-10). Hong Kong next levelled the scores through a penalty fixed by stand Ben Harris. One expected the Sri Lanka team to get back into the game with some fiery play but that was never to be as they gave away too many penalties and virtually threw the game away. Hong Kong took the lead for the first time in the match when scrum half Lee Ceuk Yin spotting the gap crept through to touch down by the posts. Ben Harris added the extra points. Hong Kong 17-10. The turn around was no different to the first half as the Sri Lankans were often blown for infringements which broke their rhythm of play. For about 15 minutes there was no scoring as both teams were looked in an unyielding battle. Hong Kong exploded into action soon after when skipper and No. 8 Paul Dingley scored off a forward rush and Ben Harris for once failed to add the extra points. Hong Kong 22-10. Sri Lankans came back into the game briefly when winger Radhika Hettiarachchi ran along the line to score far left. This try too went unconverted Sri Lanka 15-22. But the Hong Kong soon increased their lead to when the forwards took play into Sri Lanka territory and flanker Yuen Kin Andy fell over and Ben Harris added the extra points. Hong Kong 29-15. They went further ahead with their forwards playing more aggression and hooker Denton Stewart sneaked over for a brilliant try. Ben Harris added the extra points. Hong Kong 36-15. In the closing stages of the game Sri Lanka scored through lock forward and skipper Pradeep Basnayake who fell over near the right post Radhika Hettiarachchi added the extra points. Masahiro Sakuraoka from Japan refereed. **** Sri Lanka Schools win 22/11 over Hong Kong S. M. JIFFREY ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Corr. Sri Lanka Schools scored a fine 22 points (1 goals, 3 tries) to 11 (1 try, 2 penalties) win over Hong Kong Schools in their under 19 rugby match played at Nittawela yesterday. At half time Sri Lanka led 12-11. Sri Lanka Schools scored twice through Kingswood College winger Adil Hameed, skipper and No. 8 Imran Bisthamin (1 try) and winger Kasun Kaluarachchi (1 try). Fly half Mohamed Reyal added the extra points to one of the tries. For Hong Kong Schools, Centre Rowen Varty scored the try and the two penalties were fired by stand off Ben Lee. Aruna Rankothge refereed |
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