Havelocks enter semis with 29-10 win

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

RUGBY: Havelocks Sports Club powered their way to a 29 points (three goals, one try, one penalty) to 10 (one goal, one penalty) win over Sri Lanka Air Force in the quarter-final of the Caltex - President’s Trophy knock-out rugby tournament played at Longden Place yesterday after leading 10-3 at the breather.

Havelocks will confront arch rivals CR and FC in the second semi-final on September 20 (Thursday) at the same venue.

It was Havelocks power-packed forwards who paved the way for this victory. Flanker Ravi Jayasuriya was a source of inspiration to his team-mates with his fiery loose play and was ably supported by Shafi Hassen, Rajiv Perera, Chaturanga Amarasinghe, Kavinda Jayasena and Tyronne Harrison as the Park Club ‘eight’ outplayed their counterparts in the loose.

They also won a major share of possession with hooker Rajiv Perera getting the better of his vis-a-vis Duminda Vithanage in the set scrums and the trio of Amerasinghe, Jayasuriya and Jayasena holding sway in the line outs.

Havelocks surged into the lead in the 13th minute when fly-half Samantha Lakshan made no mistake with a 15-metre penalty.

Four minutes later Air Force equalised when fly-half Chanaka Chandimal fired across a 45-metre penalty. Just before the breather, off a second phase move in the Air Force ‘25’ the Park Club set their three-quarters in motion and winger Chanaka Fonseka put the finishing touches to the move by scoring by the left corner flag. Samantha Lakshan made a spectacular conversion to make it 10-3 at ‘lemons’.

In the 8th minute after resumption off another second phase move in the Air Force ‘25’ the Park Club sat their quarters in motion and winger Chanaka Fonseka fell over by the right corner flag for his second try.

Lakshan missed the conversion and Havelocks led 15-3. Sixteen minutes later, off a three quarter move in the Air Force ‘25’ Havelocks full-back Dilip Methruwan joined the line to form the overlap and scored by the posts.

Lakshan added the extra points to make it 22-3.

In the 37th minute Havelocks won a five metre scrum and No. 8 Tyronne Harrison barged through to touch down under the posts to give Samantha Lakshan an easy kick at goal (Havelocks 29-3).

Just before the final whistle, Air Force reduced the deficit when off a short tap in the Havelocks ‘25’ scrum-half Indika Kumara slung out a pass to fly-half Chanaka Chandimal who scored by the left-corner flag. Charith Seneviratne made a splendid conversion to make it 29-10 at the final whistle.

Referee: Aruna Jayasekera.