CR and FC had to throw in everything to beat a determined Hambantota Sharks team by 24 points to 12 in their Dialog inter-club League rugby match at Beliatta today
Although it was a 12-point margin, the run of play was much closer than the small crowd expected as both teams went flat out in the match. The winners CR and FC ran in two tries one of which they converted along with four penalties while the Sharks also crossed the line for two tries, converting one.
The match also marked a battle of the foreign players in the two sides who played major roles in the try scoring business. But CR also owed much to the former Royal College fly-half and playmaker Rimzie Jamaldeen who kept them well and truly in the game with four crucial penalties. He also put over the conversion to one try.
The try-scorers for CR were prop Shehan Dimitri and Samoan Number 8 Nissan, the latter using his weight to good advantage to score and reassure the Red Shirts. Nissan had a successful season playing for Havelocks who won the title last year.
For the Sharks flanker Miraj Gunasinghe and Samoan centre Saiayalaga crossed the line for tries. By doing so the two players gave the Sharks plenty to hope until the final whistle and it was only due to some mistakes at crucial moments of the game that they were deprived of a possible win.
Hambantota Sharks won the battle of the underdogs a fortnight ago when they beat CH and FC 47-20 at the same venue.
But against CR the Sharks failed to swallow up everything that came their way. However, they gave all indications that they had lifted their game and look set for a better show in the second round.
One again in front of a small band of supporters the Sharks combined well with their forwards and backline to dominate the set-pieces.
CR could consider themselves lucky in a way to hold their feet against the Sharks and will have plenty of homework to do when they move out next week while all eyes will be on the Hambantota team who are seen as a team on the rise as they make their debut in the Premier domestic scene.
