Champs Kandy SC assert their superiority – down Air Force..

Defending Dialog League Champion Kandy Sports Club once again asserted their superiority when they trounced Sri Lanka Air Force by 63 points (6 goals, 3 tries, 2 penalties) to 12 (4 penalties) in their Dialog League Inter Club Rugby Tournament match played at Nittawela in Kandy yesterday. At half time Kandy led 32-6.

This meant that Kandy’s line has been still not crossed as their opponents in two matches had done their scoring via penalties.

This match did not produce any sparkling rugby as rain during the day made ground conditions wet and not conducive to fast open rugby. Under these conditions Kandy used their forwards to blunt the defence put up by the airmen.

Two back to back 45 metre penalties by full back Arshard Jamaldeen saw Kandy run up a lead of 6-0 by the 13th minute.

It was in 18th minute that flanker Sayuru Anthony scored off a scrum by the left corner flag and Arshard Jamaldeen made a good conversion. Kandy 13-0.

Shortly afterwards Air Force reduced the lead off a 40 metre penalty fired by fly half Nuwan Perera.

Another try by flanker Sayuru Anthony which was goalled by Jamaldeen saw Kandy stretch their lead to 20-3.

Air Force replied with a 40 metre penalty put over by fly half Nuwan Perera. Air Force 6-20.

Kandy further increased their lead when centre Richard Dharmapale scored off a three quarter move far right and Jamaldeen failed with the try conversion. Kandy 25-6.

Almost on the stroke of the short blast Kandy’s lock forward Gayan Ratnayake sliced through under the post and Jamaldeen added the extra points. Kandy led 32-6.

Soon after resumption the airmen reduced the lead to 9-32 through a 40 metre penalty put over by Mawan Perera.

Kandy continued to attack through their forwards and were rewarded when lock Heshan Silva scored by the right corner flag. Jamaldeen made another brilliant conversion to increase the tally to 39-9.

At this point the game lost its interest as the airmen failed to infuse life against the champion. The only interest was whether Kandy would tot up the half century mark and this they did through tries by lock Heshan Silva, winger Dhanushka Dayan and hooker Damith Dissanayake. Two of them were goalled by full back Tilina Wijesinghe and Nuwan Perera added his fourth penalty for airmen.