Kandy SC win by a whisker

S M Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Correspondent

Sri Lanka’s champion club outfit Kandy Sports Club won by a whisker when they defeated the visiting Indian Combined Clubs by 25 points (1 goal, 3 tries, 1 penalty) to 24 (2 goals, 2 tries) in a thrilling rugby match played at Nittawela Kandy, yesterday. At half time the Indian team led 12-8.

The Pre-match predictions were that the home team would run up a big score. But that was never to be as the visiting team having in their fold several national players put up a gallant display to stall the home team with their bruising tackles and power play by their forwards which rattled the Kandy team. The home team who were virtually at full strength had to fight hard for victory using their experience.

The first ten Minutes saw the Indian team more on the offensive and Kandy did not want to take any chances and when they were awarded a penalty, they accepted it and stand off Fazil Marija converted it.

But five Minutes later the Indian team hit back when their forwards drove vigorously and prop forward Shukender Singh fell over far right and fly half Nasser Hussain added the extra points.

Indian Clubs 7-3. It was a brilliant kick as the ball struck the cross bar and west over.

In the 22nd minute the Indian Clubs once again exerted power through their forwards and this appeared to be too much for the Kandy team and wilted with lock forward Sukhdeep Singh touching far right. This try went unconverted. Indian clubs bid 12-3.

Kandy felt at this stage that they were losing the grip on the game and strived hard to keep their chances alive. In the final minute before the short blast Winger Mohamed Jabbar collecting a short pass from scrum half Roshan Weerarathe sliced through the opponents defence to store mid right. Fazil Marija failed to add the extra points.

In the fifth minute of the second half Kandy for the first time took the lead in the match through a fine try by full back Saliya Kumara who joined the three quarters to score, by the left corner flag. Fazil Marija failed to goal it. Kandy SC 13-12. But in the tenth minute the Indian Clubs took over the lead again when fly half Nassar Hussain collecting the ball from a maul stored under the post and added the extra points himself. Indian clubs led 18-12.

Two minutes later a desperate Kandy team kept applying the pressure and stand off Fazil. Marija spotting a small gap dummied his way to score near the posts. Full back Saliya Kumara added the extra points. Kandy again in the front leading 19-18.

At this stage an arising incident was seen when Kandy’s physiotherapist west into the field to assist a fallen player found himself amidst a maul and had a time in extricating himself. He was clad in long slacks and sporting a cap during the incident.

In the 25th minute the Indians scored again through their No 8 Hashihesh Pendre and this try went unconverted. .

In the 32nd minute of play Kandy’s Winger Mohamed Jabbar sprinted along the time and scored by the left corner to give Kandy the victory.

Priyantha Gunaratne referred