Navy in smashing 44-20 win over CR and FC

by Sajeewa Jayakody

Navy Sports Club, the table leaders, recorded a smashing 44 points (three goals, four tries, one penalty) to 20 (one goal, two tries, one penalty) win over Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club (CR and FC) in a Dialog ‘A’ Division League rugby match played at Longden Place yesterday. The winners led by 27-8 at half time.

Navy opened scoring through a try by Sharo Fernando in the third minute, when he touched down near the left corner flag. Experienced place kicker Nuwan Hettiarachchi converted it with a splendid kick. In the 15th minute, Navy increased the lead accumulating five points through Chanaka Chandimal’s unconverted try to make it 12-0.

Three minutes later, fullback Nuwan Hettiarachchi fired across a 15-metre penalty as Navy increased the lead to make it 15-0. Navy’s Chanaka Chandimal scored his second try in the 21st minute. Hettiarachchi was unable to convert it. Fijian Number Eight Navari Eramasi touched down under the posts and Hettiarachchi made a brilliant conversion to make it 27-0.

Home team’s flanker Sasanka Ariyaratne scored an unconverted try. Centre Kanchana Ramanayake missed the conversion.

At the stroke of half time, Ramanayake put over a 20-metre penalty to make it 27-8 at ‘lemons’.

Eighth minute after the resumption, Navy’s Leo Naikasau scored a brilliant try near the left post. Hettiarachchi again missed the conversion as Navy led by 32-8.

Then CR and FC fought back gallantly to score two tries. Flanker Sasanka Ariyaratne’s try in the 17th minute converted by Ramanayake to reduce the deficit by 32-15. CR’s prop forward Shameera Fajuideen crashed through an converted try. And the score read 32-20.

In the dying stage of the game, Navy hit back strongly to score two more tries. Srinath Sooriybandara made a superb unconverted try near the posts before Sajith Saranga touched down for a try, which was converted by Thilina Weerasinghe.

Referee: Nizan Jamaldeen