Unbeaten front runners of the Dialog Club Rugby League 2013/14 Navy SC put one more step close to the title when they beat CR & FC outfit 48-20 points in a hot and scorching evening at Welisara Navy grounds.
The match was scheduled to start at 4.30pm as earlier announced by SLRFU but later the kick off time was brought forward to 4.00pm. Navy SC’s main foreign expatriate player Stefano Cakau kicked off the much anticipated game after the controversies caused in the 1st leg played between the same teams and SLRFU had brought in a foreign referee named Chris Lynwood to officiate the game.
CR & FC received the 1st penalty of the game when Navy forwards were penalized for coming from the side to a ruck situation. CR & Sri Lanka full back Riza Mubarak kicked but the ball ricocheted off the cross bar and Riza got another opportunity when Navy were penalized for hands in the ruck and Riza made no mistake this time around putting CR into the lead early on. (Navy 00 – CR 03)
Navy leveled the score in the 12th minute of the game when Nuwan Hettiarachchi slanted over a penalty kick after referee Chris Lynwood penalized CR players for coming from the side to a ruck. (Navy 03 – CR 03)
Both teams were strong running down the flank as the battle was heating up for much excitement under the burning sun. The referee was very strict on offside playing as CR forwards were caught off side in the 23rd minute and Nuwan Hettiarachchi booted a superb 40 meter penalty kick to put Navy in front for the 1st time. (Navy 06 – CR 03)
Soon after Nuwan’s penalty kick, Alisi Tupuilai playing in an unconventional position at Number 08 for this game worked his magic when he broke loose to run down the flank and offloaded to Jason Dissanayake who finished off a great ‘Alisi’ move to score near the left corner flag. Nuwan Hettiarachchi bisected the posts. (Navy 13 – CR 03)
CR showed they are up to the task in the 30th minute of the 1st half when skipper Ishan Noor scored the 1st CR & FC try after the dangerous ‘Reds’ driving maul perfected once again by the team from Longden place. Riza Mubarak converted a superb team try. (Navy 13 – CR 10)
With only 3 points difference between the teams, final 10 minutes of the 1st half was crucial to either side as it will help their chances of registering a win at the end of 80 minutes.
Navy SC inside center Lee Keegal found space in CR defense in the 33rd minute but a valiant tackle stopped him from crossing the line but Lee Keegal’s support player Saliya Handapangoda recovered the ball and scored under the posts. Nuwan Hettiarachchi continued his great kicking form by converting the try. (Navy 20 – CR 10)
Alisi Tupuilai the Japanese center playing Number 8 for Navy SC was too strong for CR when Rimzie Jamaldeen’s long cut out pass found Jason Dissanayake and he soon passed the ball to the big built Alisi Tupuilai and he ran circles around CR defense to score a brilliant try to extend Navy’s lead. Nuwan Hettiarachchi missed the conversion. (Navy 25 – CR 10)
CR & FC inside center Va’a Lafaele gave some hope to CR & FC in the dying minutes of the 1st half when he took a quick tap after CR & FC got a penalty for a Navy infringement deep inside Navy territory. Riza Mubarak added the extra points to finish off a grueling half of Rugby.
Half Time : Navy 25 – CR & FC 17
Soon after lemons, Navy lost their star center three quarter Stefano Cakau for 10 minutes when he was yellow carded for indiscipline in breakdowns. Riza Mubarak cut the deficit to 5 points by putting over the penalty. (Navy 25 – CR 20) Nuwan Hettiarachchi responded well in the 44th minute when he slotted a penalty kick when CR was caught red handed for indiscipline in breakdowns. (Navy 28 – CR 20) Nuwan Hettiarachchi delivered with his left boot as he managed to slot over another penalty in the 50th minute. (Navy 31 – CR 20)
Nuwan Hettiarachchi was brimming with confidence with his kicking prowess as he missed a difficult 60 meter penalty kick which hit the cross bar in the 52nd minute. Navy SC’s replacement full back Joeli Lutumailagi extended the Navy lead and helped Navy get the bonus point in the 62nd minute when he sprinted nearly 60 meters to dive over for a superb try. Nuwan Hettiarachchi added the extra points. (Navy 38 – CR 20)
Yoshitha Rajapaksha made his entry to the rugby field for the 1st time after recovering from his ankle injury to play the last 15 minutes.
CR & FC played their hearts out in the final quarter of the game to produce a try from nowhere but Navy SC showed their dominance when their strong defense held the marauding CR attacking moves.
Nuwan Hettiarachchi made no mistake converting another penalty kick in the 77th minute when Navy doubled the CR score by touching the 40 points mark after CR defenders were offside and referee Chris Lynwood awarded a penalty to Navy SC. (Navy 41 – CR 20)
Joeli Lutumailagi scored his 2nd try for the game after Jone Avokia Vota broke the CR defense to run down 50 meters and gave a superb pass to Joeli who had no problem in scoring the final try of the game. Nuwan Hettiarachchi added the final extra points to end another Navy dominated game as Navy’s incoming attacking onslaught was too powerful for the CR & FC lads.
Full Time : Navy 48 – CR 20
Note –
After the match, ThePapare.com commentator and prominent sports journalist Shanaka Amarasinghe was dragged out of his vehicle assaulted by a group of unknown persons inside the Navy camp.
