CR grounds Air Force

CR displayed professional rugby and gotin to top gearin the latter half

By Shamseer Jaleel

Ceylonese Rugby Football Club (CR&FC) grounded Sri Lanka Air Force with a 57 points (8 tries, 7 conversions, 1 penalty) to 20 points (2 tries, 2 conversions, 2 penalties) win in their club rugby encounter which concluded at Longden Place yesterday.

At halftime the Red Shirts led 31-6.

CR displayed top class rugby despite five of their seniors not taking the field for this game. They scored two quick tries early in the game and put the visitors under severe pressure. The Airmen never recovered from the initial shock. However, Air Force did score two quick tries in the second half to cut the deficit to 13 points. But professional play by Ishan Noor, Tharinda Ratwatte and Kavindu Perera gave no chance for Air Force to mount a comeback yesterday.

CR drew first blood through a forwards rush ending with Noor going over for Ratwatte to add the extra two points. A few minutes later, through a sweeping three quarter move, lightning quick winger Kavindu Perera touched down for Ratwatte to add the extra two points. Air Force reduced the lead through a Charith Seneviratne penalty. Seneviratne, who has shown great accuracy this season, was on target with another penalty.

After the turnaround CR scored through Kavindu De Costa, Ratwatte (2), Noor, Perera and Omalka Gunaratne. Air Force recorded their tries through Ishara Madushanka and Medagedera. Seneviratne converted both of them. The game was refereed by Priyantha Gunaratne.     

The documents of CR&FC’s latest recruit, Rowan Perry, were submitted incomplete to Sri Lanka Rugby. Perry is likely to make his debut for the Longden Place club in their next outing against Police before taking on Kandy away in Nittawela the following weekend.