Kandy SC in smashing 23-0 win and FC

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

RUGBY: A power-packed display by their forwards and the individual brilliance of full back Nalaka Weerakkody helped Kandy Sports Club to score a smashing 23 points (two goals, three drop goals) to nil win over arch rivals CR and FC in their Caltex ‘A’ Division League rugby match played at Longden Place yesterday after leading 13-nil at ‘lemons’.

It was Kandy’s marauding forwards who paved the way for this victory with a terrific display in the loose. No. 8 Dushantha Lewke was a source of inspiration to his team-mates with his fiery loose play and with Anuranga Walpola, Senaka Bandara, Sean Wijesinghe, Sumedha Jayasinghe, Jeewa Galgamuwa and Imran Bisthamin giving of their best the Kandy ‘eight’ outplayed their counterparts in the loose.

In the set scrums, the experienced Kandy hooker Anuranga Walpola got the better of his vis-a-vis Anuja Perera while the line outs were shared between the Kandy trio of Bandara, Jayasinghe and Bisthamin and CR’s Dharmatilleke and Karthelis.

Full back Nalaka Weerakkody also had a grand game. His safe collections and booming kicks to touch gave them territorial advantage and turned out to be their match winner - dropping three goals - including a peach of a goal from 35 metres out and two conversions which gave him a tally of 13 points.

Nothing went right for CR and FC yesterday. They missed four penalties within kicking range in the first half - including three by Mohamed Sheriff while in the second half winger Dinesh Kumara made a powerful run on the right flank but the ball slipped out of his hands a few metres away from the goal line and on another occasion centre Mohamed Sheriff spilled a pass with the goal line staring at him.

In the 5th minute, CR were awarded a 30 metre penalty but Mohamed Sheriff’s kick went astray. Four minutes later, off a loose maul in the CR ‘25’ Kandy’s centre Fazil Marija slung out a pass to full back Nalaka Weerakkody who dropped a peach of a goal from 35 metres out.

In the 15th minute, CR were awarded a 25 metre penalty but Mohamed Sheriff’s kick struck the upright and rebounded. Two minutes later, the ball came Kandy’s way off a loose maul and Nalaka Weerakkody dropped a goal from 30 metres out to make it 6-0.

In the 24th minute, CR were awarded another penalty from 35 metres out in front of the posts but Mohamed Sheriff’s kick went astray to the dismay of their supporters.

In the 36th minute, Kandy’s fly half Sajith Mallikarachchi made a break from mid field drew the defence and slung out a pass to centre Fazil Marija who crashed through to score under the posts. Weerakkody added the extra points to make it 13-0.

On the stroke of half time CR had a chance of reducing the deficit when they were awarded a 30 metre penalty which was missed by scrum half Amjad Buksh and at the breather Kandy SC led 13-nil.

In the 2nd minute after resumption off a loose maul in the CR ‘25’ Kandy’s Nalaka Weerakkody dropped a goal from 25 metres out (Kandy 16-nil). In the 23rd minute of the second half, Kandy’s centre Fazil Marija (who had an excellent game) smothered a clearance kick by CR’s substitute fly half Ashan de Costa, followed it and fell on the loose ball in the in-goal area. Nalaka Weerakkody made no mistake with the conversion and Kandy SC ran out worthy winners by 23 points to nil.

James Fitzgerald of Ireland refereed.