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DINESH WEERAWANSA reporting from South Korea

ULSAN, Sunday - Sri Lanka rugby team ended their dismal run with another humiliating defeat while South Korea (gold), Japan (silver) and Taiwan (bronze) maintained their supremacy in the region at the 14th Asian Games 15-a-side rugby tournament concluded at the Ulsan Public Stadium, some 70km off Busan here yesterday.

Sri Lanka lost their decisive bronze medal deciding game to Taiwan. They painted a poor picture in going down to the team from Taipei 18-56. In the last league match which followed, host South Korea beat former Asian champions Japan by 45 points 34.

Taiwan, playing excellent rugby, exposed all weaknesses in the Lankan side as they pulled off a smart 56 points (three goals and seven tries) to 18 (one goal, one try and two penalties) after leading 29-3 at the breather in the first game today. Taiwan collected as many as 24 points within the first 20 minutes of the game through tries by No.8 Chung-i Tien, winger Chen-fu Chen, flanker Chen-hua Huang and hooker Chi-hsiang Hung. Two of the four early tries were converted by fly half Chih-chung Chen. Flanker Huang crossed the Lankan line for the second time in the 28th minute of the game before full back Radhika Hettiarachchi, who took Nalaka Weerakkody's place in the last line of defence, put over a penalty for Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka did not allow Taiwan to score a single point for the first 13 minutes in a brave effort, but they lacked stamina and staying power. Taiwan's first try in the second half came in the 14th minute when winger Kuo-feng Wang fell over for an unconverted try. Then came the Taiwan massacre as they ran down another four tries within the space of 17 minutes through winger Wang, full back Chih-ming Pan, No.8 Tien (two).

Only the last of the five Taiwan tries in the second half was converted by Wei-cheng Chang, who came in as a replacement.

Sri Lanka badly felt the absence of injured second rower Savantha de Saram as far superior Taiwan pack had their own way both in scrums and line outs. But the Lankans had the satisfaction of scoring two tries in the second half through winger Sajith Mallikarachchi and centre Rajitha Jayasundara. The schoolboy centre three quarter came in as a replacement only in the second half and scored a memorable try. Hettiarachchi converted the first try and also put over his second penalty of the match.

Brian Baptist, the manager of the Sri Lanka rugby team that they were beaten by the better side at the end. "No excuses, we were beaten by a better side than us.

We fought at certain duration but lacked staying power," Baptist said after a post match interview. He said the Taiwan team has made a great improvement since their 0-2 series loss to Sri Lanka last year and today's defeat is a good eye opener for Sri Lanka to prepare for the future with some far-thinking changes in the side. Baptist said he will consult Chairman of selectors, Group Captain Tikiri Marambe and make the recommendations to the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union.

South Korea underlined their rugby supremacy in the region when they edged out Japan by 45 points (six goals and a penalty) to 34 (three goals, two tries and a penalty) after leading 24-10 at 'lemons'.

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