Unbeaten CR & FC end 26-year league drought

By: Shamseer Jaleel a Longdon Place

Colombo, Feb. 19 (Daily Mirror) - CR & FC ended a 26-year league drought when they claimed the Inter Club Rugby League 2023/24, going unbeaten the whole season, as an inspired second-half performance saw them beat defending champions Kandy SC 33-25 at Longdon Place in front of a packed house.

The champions registered their points through five tries, one conversion, and two penalties, as opposed to Kandy’s three tries, two conversions, and two penalties.

At the short breather, it was Kandy who led 13-6.

The Red Shirts last won the league under Viraj Prashanth in 1998.

The game was contested at a rapid pace, with both teams not shy about using their three-quarter lines.

For CR, their number 8, Lasindu Karunathilake, skipper Sayuru Anthony, Chathura Seneviratne, and Gemunu Chethiya played their hearts out with some superb attack and defence. In fact, Lasindu’s moves were constantly occurring, and it took at least two to three Kandy players to bring him down. A few good momentums by CR in the initial half were spoiled through aimless kicking, which cost them the points, but come the second half, it was totally a different game; they did everything correctly as they claimed victory.

Kandy always felt the Colombo heat and humidity badly. The shock defeat at home against CR put them down in their confidence. Tarinda Ratwatte, Dinal Ekanayake, and Nigel Ratwatte stood out for the Up Country outfit in three-quarter play, while in forward’s play, Sanushka Abeywickrema, Lasith Attanagoda, and Jason Dissanayake stood out and gave some solid cover defence. Kandy lacked in their line-out wins where they even could not win their own throw-ins, which put them under severe pressure.

CR drew first blood in the 10th minute of the game through a Chathura penalty, but Kandy hit back soon
afterwards through a penalty from Tarinda.

Kandy scored their first try through a forward’s rush in the 23rd minute of the game through Lasith, who
powered his way through. Tarinda added the extras to take a 10-3 lead. Kandy increased their lead further through another Tarinda penalty.

On the stroke of half-time, Chathura was on target with a penalty kick for CR to cut the deficit to 7 points.

After the turnaround, CR dished out better open rugby through Adeesha Weerathunge, who scored the Red Shirts’ first try of the game.

Chathura added the extras to equal the scores at 13 a-piece. Kandy coming into CR territory saw Tarinda brush aside a few CR defenders to touch down for a try.

Soon afterwards, CR hit back with a try through Raveen de Silva to equal the scores, this time at 18 a-piece. Another CR kick deep into Kandy territory saw a lucky bounce towards former St. Joseph’s player Gemunu, who touched down unmarked. Manilka Ruberu, who took over the kicking duties from Chathura, missed both try conversions.

Kandy once again took the lead through their dashing Dhanushka Ranjan try. But the lead was short-lived as the Red Shirts hit back with two more tries by Randy Silva and Lasindu. Thenuka Nanayakkara missed both try conversions, but it was enough to take the Red Shirts over the line.

Referee: Raveen Alexander

• Scores: CR & FC: 33 points / Kandy SC: 25 points

(Pix: Kushan Pathiraja)