Sri Lanka did everything correct but to win. The was the sorry tale two weeks ago at a water logged CR & FC Rugby Grounds when Sri Lanka locked horns with UAE in the initial match of the HSBC Asian Five Nations Tournament 2011 in front of a packed crowd.
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| Ellis Meachen |
The national team led by former Trinitian and Kandy SC triple champion skipper Sean Wijesinghe gave an excellent account of themselves bringing down the heavier UAE forwards and three quarters without allowing them to move freely.
The three quarters though on a wet day handled the pressure really well hardly dropping the ball. Speaking to the Sunday Times former Tongan and Romanian Head Coach Ellis Meachen said, “The result was very disappointing. We created enough opportunities to win and it should have really come down to goal kicking. We got not once but twice and that too within kicking range.”
Ellis continued saying, “We played enough good rugby to win the game. UAE played well in close quarters but didn’t offer anything in the backs. Had the conditions suited the three quarters our lads would have run through their defense on several occasions? I have been here for little over 3 month’s and this is the first time when I woke up it rained. We haven’t trained in the rain and the boys did very well in alien conditions.
Sri Lanka should be proud of them.” He praised the forwards for adjusting to the conditions in no time. We attacked really well after settling and re-grouping in the second half. The entire side played well but they have to find touch more often to attack in the opponent’s half more. We did not find touch most of the time. We were kicking aimlessly most part of the initial half.
He ended by saying, “We should secure the kick off balls which let us down very badly. We are hard at practice and will give a good run against Hong Kong, but their side is very strong in both forwards and three quarters with more than half of their side packed with expatriates (Getting qualified in the 3 year international Rugby Board resident rule) The team needs to remain focused for the entire 80 minutes to be in chance for a victory over the Hong Kong lads which is vital to stay on top for yet another year,” he ended in a confident note. |
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