Sri Lanka suffer two crushing defeats

Ranjeeva Seneviratne reporting from Hong Kong

RUGBY: Hong Kong, March 29 - Sri Lanka were relegated into the bowl championship of the Hong Kong international rugby sevens when they suffered two crushing defeats at the hands of England (7-47) and Canada (0-53) in their group 'B' matches played at Hong Kong rugby stadium today. The previous day, Sri Lanka lost to Samoa (7-35).

In the first match England scored a resounding 47 points (6 goals, 1 try) to 7 (1 goal) win over Sri Lanka.

England opened scoring in the second minute when fly half Ben Gollings dashed through 60 metres to touch down under the posts and converted it himself.

Two minutes later England hooker John Brake picked up a loose ball and crashed through for a try under the posts. Gollings added the extra points to make it 14-0. In the 4th minute England centre Simon Hunt sped over 30 metres to score under the posts.

Gollings made no mistake with the conversion and England led 81-0. Just before the breather England's fly half Ben Gollings scored the best try of the match when he intercepted a pass by Sri Lanka's Fazil Marija and dashed through 90 metres to touch down under the posts. And converted the try himself to make it 28-0 at half time.

In the 2nd minute after resumption England winger Noah Cato ran 50 metres down the left flank to fall over for an unconverted try (England 33-0). Two minutes later Sri Lanka reduced the deficit when scrum half Saliya Kumara began a move and slung out a pass to centre Pradeep Liyanage to score under the posts.

Radhika Hettiarachchi converted to make it 33-7. The Englishmen came back storming to score two more tries through Chris Mayor and Anthony Elliott both of which were converted by Gollings to make it 47-7 at the final whistle.

In the second match Canada scored a runaway 53 points (4 goals, 5 tries) to nil win over Sri Lanka. Canada opened scoring in the 2nd minute when Sri Lanka prop forward Imran Bisthamin knocked on and Canada's Serum half Philip Mack picked up the ball and sent out a pass to fly half Justin Mensah-Coker who scored by the posts.

Philip Mack converted 7-0. Two minutes later fly half Justin Mensah-Coker sped over 50 metres to fall over mid left for an unconverted try. (Canada 12-0). In the 5th minute Canada won a scrum in the Sri Lanka (25) and scrum half Philip Mack scampered through to touch down by the right corner flag. He missed the conversion.

Just before the breather Canada's Philip Mack scored under the posts and converted it himself to make it 24-0 at half time.

In the second half the Canadians went on the rampage to score five more tries through substitute Christopher Strubin (two), winger Tony Lacarte (two) and centre Jarod Shelby two of which were converted by Philip Mack to give the Canadians a majestic win.

Host nation Hong Kong came up with a stupendous performance to hold the formidable France to a 21-all draw while China too created a major upset by beating the strong Scotland 19-12.