King in the woods under Royal rampage
Confidence oozing from every pore, a relaxed Royal side devastated Kingswood by 49 points (3 goals, 5 tries, 1 penalty) to 7 (a goal). At the break, the winners had done more than enough (27-0) to seal the game in their favour.
A half-full Royal complex had the pleasure of seeing the famed forwards run riot early on. The line outs were won almost in toto and most of the scrums too, for good measure.
Early on the forwards got Royal into an advantageous position. The rolling maul was employed and flanker Shaukat Laheer went over. The conversion asked too much of Askey. However, he knocked over a penalty within minutes (8-0).
The tactic was repeated in the 21st minute, and four-try-man Supun Warnakulasuriya touched down (13-0). Then followed umpteen five yard scrums but, worryingly, the forwards could not force their way over. It was left to lock Umesh Madushan to put the record straight.
Askey converted this try as well as Warnakulasuriya’s try that followed, to make it 27-0.
The second half saw a change of tactics. The intention may have been to rest the hard worked forwards. Royal launched into some back division attacks, after Warnakulasuriya had touched down the third time.
Royal swung the ball about, winger Sabith Feroze did the hard yards and sent a short low pass for Bhanuka Gamage to score.
Warnakulasuriya’s fourth and final try made the score 42-0. The last three tries were not converted.
With ten minutes to go, in a move that evoked mirth , Royal sent in seven substitutes all at once. Possibly, stung to the quick by all this, Kingswood’s flanker K.S. Wimalaweera grabbed the ball from a line out and blazed through untouched. Rafaideen converted (42-7).
In the dying minutes, Umesh Madushan produced the final touchdown, which was converted by Askey’s replacement.
One or two Kingswood players tended to get overly aggressive. They could take a leaf out of Bhanuka Gamage’s book. The Royal skipper’s on-field behaviour was almost impeccable.
Referee: Aruna Rankothge.