CR in smashing 46-21 win over Army

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

CR and FC turned in a dazzling display of open rugby to score a smashing 46 points (four goals, three tries, one penalty) to 21 (three tries, two penalties) win over Sri Lanka Army in their Caltex ‘A’ division league rugby match played at Longden Place yesterday after leading 29-11 at the breather.

The Red Shirts made maximum use of the ‘good ball’ which came their way by setting their three quarters in motion at every turn which resulted in them crossing the soldiers’ goal line on seven occasions.

They won an abundance of possession with hooker Anuja Perera getting the better of his vis-a-vis Mahesh Perera of Army while in the line outs the CR duo of Dharmatilleke and Mallikarachchi towered above the rest.

In the loose too the CR ‘eight’ dominated. No. 8 Dushanth Lewke was a source of inspiration to his team-mates with his fiery loose play.

He was ably supported by skipper Shamil Mohamed, Anuja Perera, Dharmatilleke, Naveen Wijetunge and Kasun de Silva who gave a sterling display to outplay their counterparts.

The Red Shirts opened scoring in the 2nd minute of the game when off a quick short tap scrum half Amjad Buksh slung out a pass to flanker Kasun de Silva who scored mid left.

Senthil Kumar converted. In the 19th minute off a second phase move Army’s centre Asanka Perera touched down mid left. T. A. Silva failed with the conversion.

Six minutes later CR’s Senthil Kumar fired across a 40 metre penalty to make it 10-5 in CR’s favour. In the 29th minute, the soldiers reduced the deficit when T. A. Silva put over a 45 metre penalty. (CR 10-8). Three minutes later off a 10 metre scrum CR number eight Dushanth Lewke powered his way to fall over for an unconverted try by the left corner flag to make it 15-8.

In the 36th minute off a three quarter move in mid field CR’s centre Senthil Kumar sliced through the Army defence and slipped out a pass to the omnipresent flanker Kasun de Silva who crashed through for a try under the posts. Senthil Kumar made no mistake with the conversion to give CR a 22-8 lead. Two minutes later T. A. Silva fired across a 25 metre penalty to reduce the lead. CR 22-11.

Just before the breather off a three quarter move in the Army ‘25’ CR winger Nishan de Silva made a powerful run on the left flank to fall over for a try by the left corner flag. Senthil Kumar made a splendid conversion to give CR a 29-11 lead at ‘lemons’.

In the 2nd minute after resumption off a Army three quarter move in mid field CR winger Mohamed Jabbar made an interception and dashed through 50 metres to score under the posts to give Senthil Kumar an easy kick at goal. (CR 36-11).

Five minutes later off a 10 metre line out, CR scrum half Amjad Buksh scampered through to score mid left. Senthil Kumar missed the conversion and CR led 41-11.

The soldiers fought back and in the 29th minute they won a five metre scrum and scrum half Tharindu Dharshana made a break on the blind side and slipped out a pass to winger Saliya Handapangoda to fall over for an unconverted try by the right corner flag.

Five minutes later Army reduced the lead further when off a quick short tap they set their ‘threes’ in motion and winger A. W. Alawattegama scored by the left corner flag. Silva missed the conversion and CR led 41-21.

In the dying stages of the game, off a second phase move, CR full back Ashan de Costa scored an unconverted try mid left to give the Red Shirts a resounding 46-21 win.

Referee: Nizam Jamaldeen.