Create season’s biggest upset:

Navy in stunning 18-3 win over CR

The Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club who are going great guns this season created the biggest upset of the 2009 Caltex ‘A’ Division League Rugby Tournament with a sensational 18 points (one goal, one try, one drop goal, one penalty) to 3 (one penalty) win over the star studded CR and FC in their match played at Welisara yesterday after leading 8-3 at the breather.

The sailors who were contained in the first half went on the rampage in the next 40 minutes to completely outplay their counterparts. It was the marauding Navy ‘eight’ who paved the way for this victory.

Skipper and flanker Yoshitha Rajapaksa was a source of inspiration to his team-mates with his fiery loose play and was ably supported by Sumedha Malewana, Piumal Manchanayake, Shehan Deen, Namal Rajapaksa and Tyronne Harrison as the Navy ‘eight’ reigned supreme in the loose.

The sailors opened scoring when centre Nilfer Ibrahim scored a try. Nuwan Hettiarachchi failed to add the extra points. They went ahead further when fly half Samantha Lakshan dropped a peach of a goal from 30 metres.

CR and FC reduced the deficit when full back Reza Mubarak fired across a 25 metre penalty and at ‘lemons’ Navy led 8-3. After the resumption the Sailors dominated play and the three quarters made the maximum use of the hard earned possession by the forwards by running the ball at every opportunity.

The Sailors went ahead further when full back Nuwan Hettiarachchi fired across a penalty to make it 11-3. The sailors put the issue beyond doubt when full back Nuwan Hettiarachchi scored a superb try and converted it himself to give the sailors a glorious 18-3 win.

Incidentally Nuwan Hettiarachchi had a grand game always joining the line to form the overlap and also relieved pressure with his safe collections and booming kicks to touch.

It was Navy’s fifth victory for the season having earlier notched up four smashing victories over Police (27-3), Air Force (27-3), CH and FC (18-12) and Havelocks (32-3).

It was also a proud moment for the new Navy commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe who was responsible for the resurgence in Navy rugby in 1989 as its Rugby Chairman when they emerged runners up of the Clifford Cup Tournament losing to CR and FC by a whisker (3-6) in the final.

Referee: Pradeep Fernando.