2 days Ago By Thilina Walpola
Kandy Sports Club survived some anxious moments against a fighting CR&FC outfit before winning the Clifford Cup final with a 41 points to 33 win in the decider which was worked off at Nittawela grounds in Kandy on Sunday (yesterday). Kandy SC played attacking rugby in both halves of the game and scored five tries, five conversions and a penalty, but CR were hot on the heels of the Kandy side and responded with five tries and four conversions. Kandy led 17-14 at half time.
The game began with a bang with Kandy SC scoring early in the game with a try by Diluksha Dange and a penalty and conversion by Nigel Ratwatte. But that lead for Kandy was short lived because CR’s Chamod Muthunayake sliced through the Kandy defence with a jinxing run and ended up under the posts. Murshid Doray’s conversion coming right gave indications that it would be a long day for Kandy.
CR pressed with their forwards and earned a try through Omalka Guneratne. But Kandy were in no surrendering mood and snatched the lead back with a peach of a try by Ratwatte, who retired from rugby on Sunday after playing his final game. Kandy kept rolling with their forwards and earned their third try after half time when Kenula Hettiarachchi went over off a forwards rush.
Ratwatte’s conversion put the winners ahead by ten points with the scores reading Kandy 24 as against CR’s14. CR hit back strongly at this stage of the game and produced two vital tries through Omalka Guneratne and Murshid Doray and saw that their team was only trailing Kandy by a point. It was at this stage that the game got a bit out of hand in the middle, but referee Gihan Yatawara steadied proceedings by offering two yellow cards to CR and one to Kandy.
The referee was clearly heard barking out orders to both sides to maintain discipline. Kandy’s replacement player Dilshad Fareed smashed his way to a try with the game eight minutes away from full time. Zumry made a classis touchline conversion.
But CR made one last gasp attempt to wrestle control of the game with a try by Manika Ruberu. Doray added the extra points and gave some hope for CR who were now just point behind Kandy. But when it seemed like everyone was struggling to produce the next try, scrum half Heshan Jansen ran through the CR defence to score close to the posts and seal the game for Kandy.
By A Special Sports Correspondent.
