A final-minute try from Reeza Raffaideen against the Philippines in the Plate final saw Sri Lanka patch up their disappointing 1st leg campaign with a 5th place finish.
Sri Lanka was playing the Philippines in the Plate final; A team that they lost to last season in Colombo that later deprived them of making the World Series qualifiers in Hong Kong.
Srinath Sooriyabandara opened the scoring with a classical side-stepping try through the middle to give the Tuskers the early lead.
The 7-0 lead lasted for over 5 minutes in the 1st half but with seconds to go for the hooter, the Philippines equalized with an end to end try off Robert Forgerty.
Half time: Sri Lanka 7 – Philippines 7
Debutant Jandiu Dilshan proved to be the x-factor in the side for the second day and a wonderful offload from Sudaraka Dikkumbura saw Dilshan sprinting all the way through to score a well-deserved try under the post to regain the lead (14-7).
With two minutes to go, the equalizer came from Luc Smith of the Philippines who covered almost 60 meters and later had the energy to kick the conversion to draw level with Sri Lanka.
However, it was Reeza Raffaideen who had the last laugh delivering when it mattered the most scoring the match-winner on the brink of time, right under the post.
Collecting the ball off the restart, the 23-year-old sprinted through three Philipino players to score under the post which Kevin Dixion made no error in converting.
With this win, Sri Lanka will finish 5th in the overall table and will confidently head for the upcoming two legs.
The second leg of the Asia Sevens Series will kick off on the 14th of September in China.
Sri Lanka make the Plate Finals
A comprehensive performance by the Sri Lanka Men’s team saw them qualify for the Plate final defeating a hapless Chinese Taipei side 42-0 in the Plate final.
Following their exit from the cup segment, the Tuskers were pushed to the Plate division in the 1st leg of the three-legged Asia Sevens Series that kicked of in South Korea.
Reeza Raffaideen opened the scoring for the side with a sprint through the middle and his try was soon followed up by a brilliant score from debutant Sudaraka Dikkumbura.
Dikkumbura covered almost 60 metres stepping at least 4 players for his opening try.
With seconds to go for half time, Reeza Raffaideen got the luck of the rugby ball’s bounce to collect the restart to score his second and the team’s third as the Tuskers stormed to a 21-0 lead at half time.
The agony continued for Chinese Taipei as the gaps were opening up for the Lankans to penetrate. Two tries came in from Janidu Dilshan in the second half and a final minute try from the skipper Danush Dayan sealed the win for the Tuskers.
Full-time score: Sri Lanka 42 (6T 6C) defeat Chinese Taipei 0
Sooriyabandara double save the Tuskers from humiliation
A double by Sri Lanka’s sevens playmaker Srinath Sooriyabandara saved Sri Lanka of humiliation after they edged out the newcomers of the tournament UAE 21-17.
This was the side’s 1st win for the tournament after they lost out to China and Japan on day 1 of the 1st leg of the Asia Sevens Series in Incheon South Korea.
Read – Japan tame the hapless Tuskers
It was Saikusa Naisau who drew first blood off the kick off for UAE with an individual effort try to take the Tuskers by surprise but Sooriyabandara had other plans.
Two quick converted tries from the little master Soori saw Sri Lanka outrun the UAE side to a comfortable 14-5 lead.
Dinuk Amerasinghe followed the success of Sooriyabandara with a team try through the midfield after the flood gates opened up following a UAE yellow card.
Half time – Sri Lanka lead UAE 21-5
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Despite the Tuskers playing the best 7 minutes in the entire tournament in the 1st half, they failed to keep up to the same momentum in the 2nd. Tactical substitutions by UAE in the second half saw them closing up on Sri Lanka.
It was Niko Volavola who opened up space in the crumbling Tuskers defense and Jeremaia Kilicanasau followed up with a brilliant converted try to cut the deficit to four (17-21).
However, the full-time buzzer came in the middle of UAE’s fightback as the Tuskers settled for their first win of the tournament.
Full time: Sri Lanka 21 (3T 3C) defeat UAE 17 (3T 1C)
