Police dished out a superb second half rally where they came from behind 3-24 down to hold Navy to a 24 all but the last minute penalty cost them the match.

The match got off to a good start with both teams engaged in a battle for supremacy where Navy drew first blood in the 17th minute when their flanker Yoshitha Rajapaksha scored off a rolling maul, full back Thilina Wijesinghe missed the conversion. Navy went in to a 5 nil lead. In the 33rd minute Navy centre Lee Keegal touched down for an un converted try off a beautiful three quarter move and the score read 10-nil. This score stood at half time.

Soon after the break in the 56th minute, off a five metre scrum Navy number eight Nivanka Prasad crashed through for a superb under the post try. Wijesinghe made the conversion and Navy led 17-nil.

Within three minutes Mubarak put over a penalty to made the score 17-3.

In the 72 minute, Yoshitha Rajapaksha scored his second try off a quick five metre tap. Wijesinghe put over the conversion and Navy went in to a commendable 24-3 lead.

Police flanker Joel Perera barged through for a try off a ruck in the 82nd minute. Mubarak made the conversion. Score 24-10 in Navy’s favour.

Within seven minutes Police scored two back to back tries through flanker Perera (for his 2nd try) and number eight Radeesha Ranjan. Both were put over by Mubarak to make the score 24 all.

Navy sealed the match in style when their reliable place kicker Wijesinghe put over a fantastic 35 metre penalty to take the final score to a thrilling 27 points to 24 victory in the end.

Referee – Priyantha Gunarathna

Havies in hard fought 27-22 win over Army

Havelocks Sports Club were made to sweat till the very last minute by the fighting Sri Lanka Army Sports Club out fit, where Havies’ fly half Samantha Lakshan crash through to score a try in the last minute of play, saw them scored a hard fought 27 (3 Tries, 3 Conversions, 2 Penalties) to 22 ( 3 Tries, 2 Conversions, 1 Penalty) victory in their Dialog ‘A’ Division Inter Club League Rugby first round match played at Air Force grounds in Ratmalana yesterday.

Havelocks led 17-7 at lemons.

The winners could not found their act together in the entire match scoring only 3 tries through Janik Jayasuriya, Dushmantha Priyadarshana and Samantha Lakshan. conversion were done by full back Rimzie Jamaldeen who put over a penalty as well.

The gallant Army side came off neck to neck with the Havies out fit with some sizzling runs and Dazzling display to score three tries. Full back Gayan Salinda converted two tries and fired across a penalty.

Incidentally the rock solid Army side shocked the entire crowd present with their fierce tackling and were really unlucky to lose this game as they were leading 22-20 till the very last move of the game.

Such a scoreline was expected when Kandy had by half time run up a total of 46-3. For Kandy both their forwards and three quarters combined effectively to create this smashing win. In the end they ran circles around the hapless CH side that had no answers to cope up with the enormous attack carried out by the hill capital lads.

The man who created this sensational victory for Kandy was none other than their national centre Gayan Weeraratne who went onto score a hat-trick of tries running amok at the inexperience CH three quarters.

Navy beat Air Force

Navy forwards gave of a brilliant display under the leadership of ex-Navy and national captain Yoshitha Rajapaksa to cruise to a straight forward 38-8 win over Air Force at Navy grounds.

Their three quarters ran through every time they received the ball and scored, with veteran fly half Dev Anand feeding his speedy line at every given opportunity.

Second row forward ex-national player Sathya Ranatunga played a tremendous game scoring two breathtaking tries towards the end.

Havies edge out Police

Havelock’s SC was really lucky to beat the rejuvenated Police side by 28-19 after been led 13-9 at half time. They should owe this win largely to their ex-Royal College prop forward Dushmantha Priyadarshana who single-handedly brought victory to his side by scoring a try and having hand in other two tries where he sent Ganuka Dissanayaka and Sudarshana Muthuthanttri over. New fly half Samantha Lakshan had a good day with the kicks where he successfully put over despite the handicap with the wet ball.

Police who played well in patches lost the game due to their entire forwards not engaged in break downs quickly other than Billal Hassan. They were really slow arriving at the ball.

Police had a good chance of winning this game but their substitute scrum half Mohamad Afzal who had a grand game made a silly blunder where he knocked on while touching down for a try in the in-goal area.

CR and FC down Army

CR made a superb late rally where they came from behind to beat the fighting Army outfit by 35-15 after trailing 6-10 at lemons at Longden Place.

Army shocked the entire crowd present with their fierce tackling and sizzling runs. CR who did not play to their full potential got their act together in the last 18 minutes of the game thanks to their coaching staff getting the combinations right by shifting Ashan de Costa to fly half and bringing in Dilan Zoysa from the bench to operate from the base of the scrum.

Hero for CR was winger Makalanka Pramoda who scored two scintillating tries. The kicking of full back Prince Chamara was exceptional where he put over a penalty from the 50 meter mark. But the unsung hero was their young “Alfred Hensmen” like national flanker Jason Dissanayaka who single-handedly created the opportunities by punching holes at the Army defence to send Mekalanka, Dilan and Shashan over for tries.