Navy and Kandy move towards League title

Wednesday, 25 February 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Kandy SC player Shashika Jayawardena well held by Army SC winger Shashan Mohamed during their inter-club encounter last weekend in Kandy. Kandy SC beat Army SC 37/10 By Shamseer Jaleel Both the defending champions of the Inter club league, Navy SC and their closest rival Kandy SC, scored convincing wins over CR&FC and Army respectively to move forward for the last two games in their inter club league encounter which will conclude at the Nittawela rugby stadium on 15 March between the top two teams. Spirited performance by Air Force Revamped Sri Lanka Air Force scored an outstanding 44/22 win over the Police SC in their second round game played at Ratmalana during last week-end. Air Force playing a better brand of rugby in the second round with the inclusion of three Fijian players have done well in the second round encounters. Even against a top Kandy SC outfit they managed to score three tries in the game played at Nittawela 2 weeks ago. Fijian Opathie Belena (2), Nuwan Perera (2), Surya Krishan (1), Ranil Medagedara (1) scored tries for Sri Lanka Air Force with Nuwan Perera adding the extra points to the tries scored by Belena, Krishan and his own two tries. For the Cops their evergreen overseas player Apisai Naqaliva (2), Piyum Jayasinghe (1), Pavithra Yasintha (1) scored the tries. Navy outclass CR&FC Though a close encounter was expected between Navy SC and the “Red Shirts”, it was not to be. It was a one-sided affair with the defending champions running away with seven tries to their opponent’s three scoring opportunities; in the end Navy won 44/20. The highlight of the match was that four Navy SC players were yellow carded by referee Nizam Jamaldeen. Srinarth Sooriyabandara returned after his injury which kept him out of rugby for more than two months. CR&FC full back and play maker Robbie Maineek did not play for CR which was huge loss for the Longdon Place club. Kandy hand off Army Kandy Sports Club outclassed Army SC by 37/10 at Nittawela. The game was played at a rapid speed. Unfortunately Army SC got their options and priority wrong from the kick-off onwards. They went for the man instead of the ball. This ended in several warning for their players. Fijian Mesake Baisaele was red carded for a late and a high tackle on Kandy SC’s Buwanaka Udanagamuwa. Kandy found gaping holes in the weak Army defence. Their Fly-Half and star player Fazil Marija had a grand game, not only scoring one try but initiating a number of try scoring moves. Their overseas players Tongan Koto Pongi and Kenyan Oscar Ouma played their hearts out along with Chris Colette who was a masterpiece in loose play. For the soldiers, their winger Shashan Mohamed was threatening in his moves with lightning speed. In defence too he was high class with some cover tackles which kept Kandy away from scoring freely. Soldiers’ second row Randika Alwis and Rehan Weerakoon too enjoyed a good game. With Kandy SC continuing their winning streak along with their traditional rivals Navy SC, the blockbuster game between the top two teams in the League will be played at Nittawela on 15 March. Before that Kandy will need to meet Havies in Colombo on 7 March. Inter-Club league will get a week’s break with the National Sevens Team taking wing to Malaysia for the Borneo sevens during the last weekend of February.