Sri Lanka President’s XV in facile 32-5 win

By Jatila KARAWITA

Sri Lanka President’s XV fielding a full-strength outfit had little opposition coming their way as they forced a facile 32-5 win over an Asian Dragons XV made up largely of amateur group of players in their one-off unofficial Test ended at Longden Place last evening.

The Sri Lanka President’s XV collected their points from a converted try and five tries to which the Asian Dragons could reply with a solitary try in a game which could best be described as a ‘big yawn’.

The home side led by number eight Dushanth Lewke excelled in the forwards while the three quarters too impressed with talented fly half Ashan de Costa and left wing Chula Susantha both grabbing two touchdowns each.

Skipper Lewke and inside centre Lasintha de Costa also collected a try a piece while full back Reza Mubarak converted one of the tries. The Asian Dragons consisting mainly of players assembled from countries such as Iran, India, Laos, Malaysia and Thailand and being led by Nick Hurrell from Hong Kong a number eight were hardly able to stretch their counterparts from Sri Lanka and caved in meekly in the end.

For the Sri Lanka President’s XV who opened up a 17-5 lead at half-time skipper and number eight Dushanth Lewke drew first blood when he scored off a close-range scrum and the ensuing rolling maul and with full back Mubarak’s failed conversion they led 5-0 which was in the fourth minute while 12 minutes later stand off Ashan de Costa scored a peach of a try when he dummied his way from a mid-field scrum and sped over 30 metres to signal the second-five pointer for the hosts.

With the failed conversion the home-side led 10-0 before the Asian Dragons responded in the 31st minute with their sole try in the game when captain and loose forward Nick Hurrell made a fine break from some 30 metres out and cantered unopposed to the line watched helplessly by the locals.

The score still read 10-5 in favour of the President’s XV before five eighth Ashan de Costa added the finishing touches to a fluent backline move in the 35th minute. The try was at last converted by Mubarak for the score to read at 17-5 when the teams changed ends.

Following the turn around Sri Lanka President’s XV ran down three unchallenged tries with left wing Chula Susantha standing out with two tries in the 59th and 75th minutes respectively both scored from trademark burst of speed which dazzled not only the tourists but the home crowd which was sparse at Longden Place last evening.

In between Susantha’s two tries, inside centre Lasintha de Costa elder brother of fly half Ashan also claimed a try in the 65th minute as a match which was described in some quarters as ideal preparation for Sri Lanka’s forthcoming tour of Chinese Taipei became a stroll in the park for the hosts.

The Sri Lanka President’s XV which played against the Asian Dragons yesterday was bereft of any of the 12 Kandy SC players including former skipper Sanjeewa Jayasinghe who has been protesting over the appointment of CR & FC number eight Dushanth Lewke as captain of the Sri Lanka team to the HSBC Asian Five-Nations Division 1 tournament in Chinese Taipei from November 12-15.