Solid defense complemented with some raking moves that culminated in two fine tries enabled defending champions Kandy SC to maintain their unbeaten run in the Caltex inter-club league when they had the better of Navy at 15-12 at a packed Nittawela rugby stadium yesterday.
Though the score line at the breather does not reflect the true picture and the intensity of the game Kandy led 15-5.
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| There was a heavy Navy presence at the game
(Pic by Sanka Vidanagama) |
The lads from Kandy were off colour initially but they got their act together to come out with their customary attacking play that enabled them to accumulate their points off one goal, one try and a penalty while the sailors shot back with a goal and a try.
Almost with the kick off Kandy put the first three points on the board when their scrum half Roshan Weeraratne cleared the post in reply to a penalty call.
The Saliors wasted no time in countering the force and thus sent their winger Eranga Weerakody to touch far left to score an unconverted try, following a three quarter move.
But two fine moves that culminated in a try and a goal turned out to be costly for the sailors which eventually stole the game away from them.
First, it was fly half Fazil Marja who responded to the clearing of the ball by scrum half Weeraratne from a ruck in mid field. Marja having collected a fine pass dashed nearly sixty meters down left flak before he touched down far left.
Next came a typical Sanjeewa Jaysinghe try. The winger who breeched the Navy defense with his power and speed made his oppornenet stare in awe. As Weeratane fired across a fine 35 meter kick Kandy led 15 points 5.
Some punching in the middle whilst a Dev Anand drop goal was in motion deprived
Navy of three points, which eventually ran down their chances of equalizing the
scores in the end, and thus they had to cross over for lemons training 5-15.Upon resumption, it was the sailors who added a goal when their number eight Sumedha Malawana touched down under the post following a line out and a ruck ten meters away from the try line. As Anand’s kick went over, the sailors were three points short of Kandy’s score of 15. Kandy could have increased their lead at this stage, but their score remained unchanged as Weeraratne missed two penalties in quick succession. In the dying stages of the game the sailors.
determined to overpower the lads from Kandy made a valiant effort penetrating deep inside their opponents’ defense but they failed incessantly. It tuned out to be a nail biting moment later when the sailors won a penalty but as Dev Anand misjudged the kick the scores remained in Kandy’s favour. -
Dilroy Fernando refereed |
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