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 6th June 1999 |
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Royal bathe with gloryBy Ravi NagahawatteRoyal bathed themselves with glory after downing arch-rivals S.Thomas' in their annual Michael Gunaratne Trophy rugby encounter which was worked off at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Friday. Royal's theory was simple .They made sure to knock the daylights out of the Thomians within the first half, and in the end won handsomely by 26 points to 14. Not for a moment did they look like a side which had tasted defeat this season as they spurred themselves on with their first try seventeen minutes into the game. D.Pilapitiya broke the ice by touching down first and it was slap bang there onwards as Royal piled on the points with three more 'touch downs' during the first half. Winger Viraj de Silva became the second Royalist to break into the Thomian defence as he crossed the line after receiving the ball thirty metres from the try line. The Thomians saw blue with the third try which came off Chamith Perera and the lads from Mount Lavinia were wading through glue when their defence was hit for the fourth time, this time by Rasika Wijeratne. Substitute player Chandrine Ranasinghe came good with the conversions. The Thomians proved to be a different outfit altogether and scored twice through Jeewan Gunatilake and prop forward Shivanka Wijewardana.But that inspiring effort was not anywhere close to the 'black magic' they are renowned for .
Scarlet-red, display by CR & FCBy Bernie WijesekeraDefending Carlsberg 'A' Div. league champions CR&FC back division gave a scarlet-red display of open rugby to outplay Kandy SC by 30 points (2 goals, 2 tries and 2 penalty goals) to 15 (a goal, a try and a penalty goal) to maintain their unbeaten tag in the first-leg tie at Longdon Place, last evening. At the interval the Red Shirts led 14-3. Watched by the biggest crowd for the season and played in ideal conditions both teams studded with several national players and an exciting forwards battle was in the offing. The Hill Capital started off ferociously to match their granite hard, fit and powerful CR eight. Ironically the Kandy forwards failed to maintain the tempo and tended to be sluggish in the loose and indulged in aimless kicking and spilled many a scoring opportunity. The CR defence stood firm that could be likened to a strong oak tree and hard to beat. The only scoring opportunity Kandy got in the first half was a second minute penalty put over by footballer turned ruggerite Nalaka Weerakkody. It was refreshing to see the fitter and strong CR back division running the ball which in the process generated exciting fare to the fans. For Kandy in this half it proved a comedy of errors, which CR exploited to the maximum. Pencil-slim winger Zulficar Halimdeen made a daring run to the line, only to be thwarted by Weerakkody. But off the ensuing long throw, flanker Nalin Wijegunawardena, who played an excellent game fell over. Halimdeen added the extra points when he fired over an oblique angle 7-3. Just before the short whistle CR scored again off a scrum close to the line. Indefatigable No. 8 Savantha de Saram broke and slipped it to Alfred Hensman, in turn passed it to winger Kishan Musafer to dart over the corner-flag try. Halimdeen added the extra points to make it 14-3 at the break. Halimdeen showing fine touch with the kick-off put over a penalty to increase the lead to 17-3. At this stage the game was marred by temper tantrums when Refree Robin Ng had to warn the players. In the process CR centre Harin Perera was shown the yellow card and things cooled down. CR playing orthodox rugby scored again in the 10th minute where the entire back division was set in motion. Nalin Wijegunawardena broke through the hapless Kandy defence to score his try which went unconverted, 22-3. Kandy woke from their slumber when their never-say-die skipper No. 8 Haris Omar with sheer power broke through the CR defence, which resulted in a 5-yd scrum. The ball moved down the line. Nalaka, forming the overlap touched down for an unconverted try, 22-8. This was followed by a CR penalty put over by Halimdeen 25-8. Anura Dhammika, who had a good game was replaced by former CH centre Chanaka Jayaweera. CR scored their final try through burly Savantha de Saram off a short tap close to the line, 30-8. Kandy changed their tactics and indulged in running with the ball. This paid dividends when dusky winger Lasitha Hettiarachchi scorched his way to a corner-flag try. Weerakkody fired it beautifully to make it 30-15 when Ref Robin Ng. blew no sides. It was a superb team effort by the well-drilled CR&FC.
Play 3 Tests and triangular seriesAussies tour of Sri LankaThe Australian Cricket team will arrive in Sri Lanka on August 14 while the Indian team is scheduled to arrive on August 20 to play in a triangular series from Sunday August 20 to 31. The one day International will be played between Sri Lanka and Australia at Galle on Sunday August 20 with India meeting Australia at the same venue on Monday, August 23. Sri Lanka will meet India on Wednesday August 25 in a day/night match at the Premadasa International Stadium followed by another day/night match between Sri Lanka and Australia on Thursday August 26. India will meet Australia at the SSC grounds on Saturday, August 28 with India taking on Sri Lanka on Sunday, August 29 also at the SSC grounds. The triangular series final will be played on Tuesday, August 31st in a day/night match at the Premadasa Stadium. India will fly back while Australia will stay onto play two four day games and three Test matches. The first four day game will be played at the Moratuwa Stadium on September 3,4,5, & 6 followed by the first Test at the Asgiriya Stadium from September 9 to13. The second four-day game will be played from September 16 to 19 at the CCC grounds at Maitland Crescent. The second Test will be played at the Galle Stadium from September 22 to 26, followed by the third Test from September 29 to October 3 at the SSC grounds at Maitland Place.
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