• Park lights up as Havies lose to CR
• Play hard and fair says Stanley
• Selectors to meet Arjuna

Park lights up as Havies lose to CR

Second half rally in vain. CR retains the Eustace Mathysz Trophy

By Bernie Wijesekera

After trailing 15-0 at the turn around Havelocks SC staged a great second half rally where they scored 10 points in the first ten minutes to go down fighting by 20 points (a goal, two tries and a penalty) to 25 (five tries) to their traditional rivals CR&FC in the Carlsberg 'A' second-leg league match at Havelock Park yesterday.

In the first leg Havies lost 18-38. Defending champions CR&FC thus retained the Eustace Mathysz Challenge Trophy which was on offer.

The red shirts with their granite-hard forwards were on the offensive and had much of the good ball flowing their way, be it on the set-pieces and in the long throws. But their three-quarters failed to strike form. Despite conceding weight and power to the unbeaten defending champions, the gritty Havies pack division fought a relentless battle with their ferocious tackling to keep them at bay.

Shantha Rohana (who is billed to play in Sydney in the coming Aussie rugby season for the Pirate Harbour RFC), along with Shavantha de Saram, Viraj Prasantha, Duminda de Silva, Asanga Rodrigo, Alfred Hensman played their hearts out. All the five CR tries were initiated by their 'eight'. But they were badly let down by their place kickers Halimdeen, who missed five spot kicks and three conversions and Sumith Prasanna. Both kickers had an off-day and the red shirts suffered as a result.

CR scored from the kick-off, off a second phase attack for winger Kishan Musafer to dart over. The second was by Viraj Prasantha: a push-over try where the forwards barged over.

The Havies had a glorious opportunity of scoring with the line staring at them but fluffed with the ball.

Tony Wimalasuriya, the former Air Force player turned out for the Park Club. He missed an easy penalty kick. At this stage CR lost Nalin Wijegunewardena, who was injured and was replaced by Shahan de Silva. CR scored their third try too off a second phase attack. Halimdeen was tackled but Alfred Hensman, was at hand to pick the ball for Musafer to score his second try to lead 15-0.

But in the second half the Havies changed their tactics with their entire back division battling out with grim determination. Nalin Dissanayake put over a penalty. Then followed a peach of a try. Sanjeewa Abeygunewardena, broke away from a line-out and slipped it to flanker Marasinghe to fall over. Dissanayake added the extra points to register 10 points in ten minutes. Nalin Dissanayake punted ahead beautifully for new centre Kalum Senaratne to pounce on the ball for a smart unconverted try off a short tap through Viraj Prasantha. The fifth try for CR was by Nirosh Fernando off a short tap close to the line where the forwards broke through for Fernando to put the finishing touches.

Then came that 50 metre run by the Havies winger Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, despite nursing an injury he hobbled his way for a spectacular try off an interception with Summit chasing him all the way.

The Heavies won a lot of admiration from the fans for their gritty second half rally. Referee. Aruna Jayasekera.

* TODAY: Kandy SC are the guests of the Navy at Longden Place. Kick-off at 5 p.m.

More Sports

Return to Sports Contents