CR in runaway 57-12 win over Havelocks

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

The Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club after being contained to a 14-12 lead at the breather turned in a dazzling display of open rugby in the next 40 minutes to score a runaway 57 points (six goals, three tries) to 12 (one goal, one try) win over Havelocks Sports Club in their Caltex ‘A’ Division League rugby match played at Havelock Park yesterday.

The Red Shirts opened scoring in the 4th minute when centre Niroshan Karunanayake followed a kick by fly half Ashan de Costa, collected the ball and scored by the left corner flag. Ashan de Costa converted.

Fifteen minutes later Havelocks centre Zakir Badurdeen picked up a spilled pass by a CR three quarter, kicked ahead and collected the ball on the follow through to score mid right. Harsha Weerakkody added the extra points to make it 7-all. In the 28th minute off a five metre line out Havelocks prop forward Shafi Hassen barged through to score by the left corner flag. Weerakkody missed the conversion and Havelocks led 12-7.

Nine minutes later, CR and FC snatched the lead when Havelocks’ Zakir Badurdeen spilled a pass five metres away from their goal line and CR scrum half Srinath Sooriyabandara picked up the ball and scored under the posts and converted it himself and CR led 14-12 at ‘lemons’.

In the 5th minute after resumption off a move begun in mid field CR fly half Ashan de Costa sped over 35 metres to score under the posts and give Reza Mubarak an easy kick at goal CR (21-12). Seven minutes later CR centre Niroshan Karunanayake collected a clearance kick by Havelocks full back Harsha Weerakkody and dashed through 30 metres down the right flank to fall over for an unconverted try by the corner flag to make it 26-12.

In the 20th minute of the second half off a three quarter move in the Havelocks ‘25’ CR winger Mohamed Jabbar kicked a grubber and hooker Anuja Perera who followed it fell on the loose ball in the in-goal area. Reza Mubarak made a spectacular conversion (CR 33-12).

Four minutes later CR’s fly half Ashan de Costa collected a desperate kick by a Havelocks defender and slipped out a pass to winger Mohamed Jabbar who dashed through 40 metres to fall over for an unconverted try mid left to make it 38-12.

In the 27th minutes of the second half, CR centre Chamara Vithanage began a move in mid field, kicked ahead and collected the ball on the follow through and sent out a pass to skipper Ashen Karthelis who touched down under the posts to give Reza Mubarak an easy kick at goal to make it 45-12.

Two minutes later winger Ravindra Wekadapola put the finishing touches to a three quarter move by scoring under the posts. Mubarak added the extra points (CR 52-12).

Three minutes before the final whistle CR winger Mohamed Jabbar made a powerful 30 metre run on the left flank to fall over for an unconverted try and CR ran out worthy winners by 57 points to 12.

Referee: Aruna Rankothge