Army unable to douse Police’s fire
Action during the Army Police clash yesterday. Pic by Priyantha Wickramaarachchi
The beleaguered Police produced a stunning first half blitz to completely overpower a strangely out of sorts Army team on their way to a crushing 41 points (4 goals, 2 tries, a penalty) to 19 (2 goals, a try) win at Police Park last evening.
The Police were on the ball right from the start and never permitted their opponents to settle down. After an early penalty converted by full back Sachith Silva, the Police ran riot to play a superb brand of rugby in which the forwards and the backs combined beautifully to ensure that the points kept rolling in.
Sachith Silva was influential in this half but, sadly, he sat out the second on account of concussion. He had shown his brilliance with a near 70 yard run, side stepping, and cutting in and out of a defence that had many gaps. Fly half Yohan Peiris added the extra points to this grand effort.
Silva had not finished, not by a long way. Hardly five minutes after his grand solo, he was at it once more. He was heading for the line, but unwilling to take a risk, he unselfishly passed to winger Sujan Kodituwakku to go over. Pieris obliged once again.
Kodituwakku seemed to be omnipresent and was a constant threat with his great speed.
The Police kept play in the Army 10metre area. After a while, they won a line out 10 yards away and skipper Udara Suriyapperuma barged over. Minutes later, winger Janith Chanaka and centre Iroshan Silva combined well to threaten the Army goal line. They ran the ball when a penalty was awarded. Their enterprise was rewarded as Nisal Samadi went over. The conversion was missed but at 13-0, the Police were exerting total control.
Sachin Silva’s and Sujan Kodituwakku’s tries that came in quick succession took the score to 27-nil. At this point referee Priya Suranga called half time. The Army was not in the picture at all. Gone was the fire and the fierce spirit that was a feature of their outstanding triumph over the CH on this same ground a couple of weeks back.
The second half lacked much of the excitement produced in the first. The soldiers did make a comeback of sorts to post 19 points’ but the tries that the defence had leaked earlier on ensured that the deficit could not be made up.
Udara Suriyapperuma scored Police’s first try in the second half. With its conversion, the winners were ahead 34-nil. After this the soldiers had to weather many a storm. Sudaraka Dikkumbura broke free from his 22 and gained around 30 yards. A maul followed and hooker Aravinda Karunaratne was able to bag Army’s first points by falling over. Gayan Salinda converted (34-7).
Regular scrum half Mohammed Rizvi who hadn’t been part of the earlier carnage, came up with a dandy effort to pick up the ball from a scrum and dart through. Salinda was on target again (34-14).
Police were swarming all over the Army goal line. Fly half Yohan Pieris then executed the daintiest of chips from 10 yards out. An Army player got to the ball but could not retain control. This provided the opportunity for lock Mohan Wimalaratne to go over. Janith Chandimal converted this try which was the victorious Police team’s parting shot. There was just time enough for Nalaka Maduranga to touch down for an unconverted try to make the Army tally 19.
The Army should have no complaints. They were beaten by the better side on the day.