Access International bagged the 48th Mercantile Rugby Sevens title when they beat favourites Dialog ‘A’ by 28 points (4 tries, 4 conversions) to 12 (two tries, one conversion) in the Cup championship final after trailing 7-12 at half time. The tournament was worked off at the Racecourse International Stadium yesterday.
This victory by the Access team is a fitting tribute to their head coach Nilfer Ibrahim who executed and inflicted a superb brand of attacking rugby and dished out a fabulous player substitution in the crucial moments of the game to ensure this win.
Dialog opened scoring through Niroshan Fernando who scampered through for a try under the post off a beautiful three quarter move. Niroshan made the conversion himself for Dialog ‘A’ to lead 7-0. Within a couple of minutes Access opened scoring when Jason Dissanayake sliced through the Dialog defence and darted down to score a fine try. Tharinda Ratwatte slotted in the conversion to equal the score 7-all.
Dialog ‘A’ scored again through Anuradha Herath who dummied his way over to touch down for a try near the right corner flag after a well compiled three quarter move. Niroshan Fernando missed the conversion and they went into a 12-7 lead at half time.
Soon after lemons off a sweeping three quarter move the ball was collected by Access winger Danushka Ranjan who burst through to touch down for a brilliant try under the post. This time Tharinda Ratwatte made the conversion and Access went into a 14-12 lead.
Access stretched their lead further when nippy utility player Kevin Dixon who came after a fresh stint playing for Auckland Blues Academy in New Zealand scampered through for a try under the post. Ratwatte put over the conversion to increase the lead to 21-12.
In the final minute of play Access sealed the match in style when they worked their three quarters wide where skipper Richard Dharmapala collected the ball from scrum half Srinath Sooriyabandara and went his way over for a try under the post. Sooriyabandara who had a magnificent day both in attack and defence made the conversion to enable Access International run out winners by 28-12. Dialog ‘B’ grabbed the Shield, CDB the Bowl and John Keels ‘B’ the Plate championships. The Women’s tag rugby tournament was won by MAS Attune.
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