Kandy clinch Rugby Sevens title with a 40-10 win over CR

S. M. JIFFRY ABDEEN Kandy Sports Correspondent at Nittawela

Defending champions Kandy Sports Club put up a superlative display to crush CR and FC by 40 points (5 goals, 1 try) to 10 (2 tries) to lift the all island inter-club Rugby Sevens Cup title in the tournament organised by the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union and Kandy Sports Club in the finals played at Nittawela rugby stadium in Kandy yesterday. At half time Kandy led 19-5.

The champion Kandy Sports Club side underlined their supremacy over the red shirts in no uncertain terms by defeating them twice during the tournament by convincing margins. CR and FC kept the scoreboard rolling through a try by centre Lasintha de Costa which went unconverted.

Kandy hit back in the 6th minute when skipper Fazil Marija sliced through the opponents defence to score under the posts and added the extra points himself. Kandy led 7-5.

In the 8th minute Sajith Saranga broke off a ruck and scored mid right but this try went unconverted. Kandy 12-5.

With seconds to go for the short break, Fazil Marija once again covered 60 metres to score under the posts and added the extra points himself. Kandy led 19-5 at the breather.

Kandy continued their dominance over their opponents after the turn around when in the 2nd minute, full back Sheriff showed a clean pair of heels to his former team mates and ran nearly 60 metres to touch down under the posts and added the extra points himself (Kandy led 26-5).

But CR and FC hit back in the very next minute when the Kandy defence showed some hesitancy and CR’s Dinusha Chaturanga made a bee line to the left corner flag to score. This try went unconverted. (CR 10-26).

But there was no stopping of this Kandy side who took the attack to their opponents territory and in the 6th minute Sanjeewa Jayasinghe ran 50 metres unchallenged to score under the posts. Fazil Marija added the extra points. (Kandy led 33-10).

It was now all over bar the shouting and Pradeep Liyanage put the icing on Kandy’s cake of victory by scoring under the posts and added the extra points almost on stroke of time.

Nizam Jamaldeen refereed.

First Lady Madam Shiranthi Rajapaksa was the chief guest and handed the trophies to the Cup and Bowl champions Navy Sports Club who were led by her son Yoshitha Rajapaksa.

The trophy to the Plate winners CH and FC was handed over to the skipper Tuan Shamrock by Mrs. Karannagoda, wife of the Navy commander.

In the Cup semi-finals Kandy SC beat Sri Lanka Air Force 54-0 after leading 28-0 at lemons. CR and FC had a close call before beating CH and FC 14-12.

PLATE CHAMPIONSHIP

CH and FC won the Plate Championship by defeating Sri Lanka Air Force by 21 points (3 goals) to nil in the finals. At half time CH led 14-0.

CH and FC scored tries through Shane Dissanayake (2) and Dilanka Wijesekera (1). Sajith Bandara added the extra points.

Priyantha Gunaratne referred.

BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP

Navy Sports Club won the Bowl Championship defeating Kurunegala Rugby Football Club by 33 points (4 goals, 1 try) to nil. At half time the Sailors led 21-0. Navy scored their tries through Yoshitha Rajapaksa (1), Nuwan Hettiarachchi (2), Samantha Lakshan (1) and Dilip Methruwan (1). Nuwan Hettiarachchi and Samantha Lakshan goalled two tries each.

D. Nimal refereed.

In the semi-finals Kurunegala RFC beat Old Zahirians SC by 21-5 and Navy Sports Club beat Petersons Sports Club 33-7.

Earlier in the day in the group matches which were continued, CH and FC beat Old Zahirians SC 63-0, Air Force beat Petersons SC 47-0, Kandy SC beat Kurunegala RFC 63-5, CR and FC beat Navy Sports Club 24-12, Old Zahirians SC beat Jawatte Lions 24-12, CH and FC beat Petersons SC 57-0. Petersons SC received a walk over from Jawatte Lions.