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Edge out hosts 23/16 in a thriller:
Sri Lanka beat Singapore to clinch Asian five-nation title
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Pradeep Liyanage - Sri Lanka captain
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 Sri Lanka beat Singapore by 23 points to 16 to win the Asian
Five-Nation Rugby Tournament concluded in Singapore yesterday.
It was a historic win for Sri Lanka as they survived a tense finish
to secure an exciting 23-16 win in the decisive final game played at Yio
Chu Kang Stadium, Singapore under wet weather conditions.
Sri Lanka collected its points from two goals and three penalties
while Singapore had one goal and three penalties. The scores were tied
six-all at lemons.
The hosts took and early lead with back to back penalties but Sri
Lanka fought back to find two equaliser penalties to level the scores
6-all at half time.
Minutes after the 'lemons' Sri Lanka took lead for the first time
with a penalty to make it 9-6. But their joy was short-lived as
Singapore crossed the Lankan line and added extra points to regain the
lead 13-9.
  It was at this stage that Sri Lanka scored its first of the two
tries.
Rohan Weeraratne touched down for the first try as Sri Lanka regained
the lead 16-13. However, the match once again turned out to be a close
battle for supremacy as Singapore put over a penalty after a Sri Lankan
forward was blown off side 16-all.
Both sides made desperate attempts to break the deadlock but it was
Sri Lanka's Chamara Vithanage who became an instant hero with a
blistering try to turn the match in their favour.
Earlier in the tournament Sri Lanka beat Taiwan 37-7.
Singapore edged out Malaysia by 22 points to 20. in the other game.
The win, only their second major international 15-a-side tournament
victory in its rugby history, would elevate Sri Lanka to the IRB's Asian
Five-Nation proper from next season.
In the top tier of the IRB's Asian Rugby tournament, Sri Lanka will
have to play two matches each against Asian heavyweights Japan, South
Korea, Hong Kong and Kazakhstan on a home and away basis.
Sri Lanka's only other previous tournament victory was way back in
1999 under Priyantha Ekanayake when they won the four-nation Asian
tournament beating Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.
Incidentally, it was former Royal and Sri Lanka player Dr. Maiya
Gunasekera who was heading the SLRFU at that time too. |
