Dialog Rugby League 2017/2018 Havelocks secure second spot

By Shamseer Jaleel

Havelocks secured a close 16-11 win over close rivals Navy SC to secure second position in the Dialog Rugby League, which will come to an end in Kandy on 11 February. 

Nishon Perera makes a break to score a Havelocks try against Navy at Havelock Park

Meanwhile, CH&FC, CR&FC and Kandy registered wins in their games last weekend.

Off colour win for Kandy

Kandy, playing without their stars who were most probably rested for their big game against Havelocks next weekend, registered a 29-20 win over Army thanks to a second half burst. They opted to rest Anurudha Wilwara, Buwanaka Udangamuwa, Nigel Ratwatte and Ghanuka Dissanayake.

Kandy, who don’t seem to like playing at the windy Air Force ground in Ratmalana, drew first blood through a magnificent move from Dhanushka Ranjan which ended with a Dharmapala try. Thilina Wijesinghe, getting a full 80-minute game, converted to make it 7-0 for Kandy. Army, playing with the wind, scored their first try through Sameera Bulathsinghela with the evergreen Gayan Salinda adding the extra two points to level the scores at seven apiece.

A Manoj Bandara try and Salinda conversion gave the soldiers a 17-7 lead. Kandy was under pressure and made some mistakes but hit back through a Lavanga Perera try to cut the deficit to 17-14 at halftime.

A try each from Gayan Weeraratne and Heshan Kalhara gave Kandy a 26-17 lead. There was time for one more Salinda and Thilina penalty before the end of the game, with the upcountry lads once again through with another bonus point win. They will play Havelocks at Nittawela in front of a packed house. Once again Fazil Marija and skipper Gayan Weeraratne stood out for Kandy along with Yakoob Ali. The referee for the game was Dinka Peiris.

Half century win for CH

Two tries a piece from CH&FC’s in-form players Lee Keegal, Terence Henry and Yoshitha Rajapaksa edged out the much improved Police 50-36 at Racecourse Grounds last weekend. There was hardly anything between the two sides, with the two teams tied on 24 at halftime. 

CH scored courtesy of seven tries, six conversions and one penalty while the improved Police unit scored through six tries and four conversions.

CH will be working very hard in their last game in order to secure second position at the ongoing league. The importance of this game is to avoid Kandy in the Clifford Cup knockout tournament until the grand final. The team finishing fourth in the league and is very likely to meet the defending champions in the semifinal encounter. The referee for the game was Praneeth Weranga.

CR outclass Air Force

CR&FC 27 Points

Air Force 17 Points

A try from Hirantha Manamendra and a Tharinda Ratwatte conversion was the reply to an Iddamlagoda drop goal early in the game. Reza Rafaideen, who had a grand game, playing with lightning pace, touched the corner flag to take the scores to 12-3 in favour of the Longdon Place Club. 

CR skipper Kavindu Perera scored next to extend the lead to 19-3 but Air Force hit back with their first try and conversion to cut the deficit to 19-10 at halftime. 

A Tharinda Ratwatte try took CR to 24-10 but Kavindu Perera was yellow-carded once again for a dangerous tackle. This resulted in a penalty try being awarded to Air Force. CR, who were one man down, defended well in the last 10 minutes with Tharinda Ratwatte executing a neat drop goal. The referee for the game was Priya Susantha

Havies secure second position

Navy SC could have pulled off a win but they missed out on a certain try in the last five minutes of the game to end up on the losing side at Havelock Park last weekend.

The game was tied at 11 with only seven minutes left in the encounter when Haveies scored the winning try through their playmaker Prasad Madushanka. Navy produced a similar move in the last two minutes of the game, but knocked it on when they were mere inches from the try line.

Havelocks though opened the scoring through a Reza Mubarak penalty but the sailors hit back immediately thorough a Thilina Weerasinghe try. Nishon Perera scored Havies’ first try. There were four yellow cards with three players from Havies and one from Navy being booked.

Sithum Peiris, Niroshan Fernando and Shenal Delaka were the offenders for Havelocks while Buddhima Priyaratne contributed the sailors’ only card. Priyantha Gunaratne controlled things out in the middle.