CR down traditional rival CH
CR&FC displayed a clinical performance to overcome their traditional rivals CH&FC 27-19 in a SLR Nippon Paint Club Rugby League 2023 match played at the Racecourse ground in Colombo yesterday.
Leading the halftime by 20-9, CR scored from a tally of three converted tries and two penalties, while hosts CH managed to gather their points from a converted try and four penalties. Thus both teams failed to obtain bonus points either way.
Backs Chathura Seneviratne and Mursheed Doray were outstandingly contributive to CR’s trump, while for CH centres Janindu Dilshan and Samuel Ogbebor stood out despite being youngsters. Despite the win, CR may have to focus on discipline with the five yellow cards they received.
The game stood on a scoreless stalemate for three minutes from the kickoff, but the next nine minutes to follow was more or less of an affair of who’s the best. Within the third minute CR centre Chathura Seneviratne fired a penalty to give his team an early lead, but the very next minute CH winger Nethmina Hirusha took his share to equalize the score 3-all.
By the ninth minute Seneviratne made sure he was accurate as his first attempt as CR took the lead again 6-3 with another penalty coming in their favour. But as before, three minute later Hirusha responded with his second kick at the goal to equalize 6-all. It was that moment when CH lost their focus and conceded a turnover, which caused Seneviratne to take the ball halfway from the field and make an offload to the safe hands of CR fullback Doray, who touched down. With Seneviratne’s conversion CR took the lead again 13-6.
CR made sure not to give into pressure during the remaining 20 minutes, until the 36th minute when winger Gemunu Chethiya made a breakthrough to touch down, and with Seneviratne’s conversion they expanded the lead to 20-6. On the brink of the halftime, Hirusha put over his third successive penalty as CH trailed 20-9 before the turnaround.
After 11 minutes from the resumption Hirusha got back to business, putting over his fourth successive penalty to cut down the deficit to 20-12, but as customary CR made sure to respond promptly with another Chethiya-Seneviratne combination. Chethiya touched down for the second time in the 53rd minute, and with Seneviratne’s third conversion, CR’s score reached 27 against CH’s 12.
For the next 30 minutes, not much of an impressive play of breakthrough were recorded by either teams, besides the four yellow cards received by CR’s Kavindu de Costa, Manelka Ruberu, Raveen de Silva and finally, their playmaker Seneviratne, who was sent off for 10 minutes just before full time.
CH tried and penetrated as hard as they could against a worn out CR, who never conceded, until just before the final whistle, when centre Janindu Dilshan laid his hands on the ball just within the deadline over opponent Gemunu Chethiya to score his team’s first try. Hirusha made the conversion, but could not prevent CR from claiming the win 27-19.