Astonishing Navy Sports Club staged a stunning comeback in the fourth quarter of the final match in the Dialog Clifford Cup 2013/14 to beat Havelock Sports Club by 27-22 under lights at the Race Course International Rugby Stadium.
Navy Sports Club clinched their first ever Knockout championship win and completed the superlative double of winning the League title and the Knockout title in the same season and remained unbeaten in doing so.
Navy SC came into the finals without their hard running Fijian triplet of Setefano Cakau, Jone Avokia Vota and Joeli Lutumailagi as they have flown back to Fiji. Navy SC gave the No.12 jersey to former Police player Apisai Naqalevu for this crucial battle. Joe Brown of Havelock SC kicked off the much anticipated final. Both teams started off the game kicking the ball into space with the intention of gaining territory early on.
Navy got the first scoring opportunity in the 9th minute of the game when Havelock made an infringement in a ruck. The in-form Nuwan Hettiarachchi missed the 42 meter penalty kick. Havelocks looked dominant in set plays as the Navy forwards looked rusty throughout the first half.
With the game clock on 15 minutes, Havelock SC put the first points on the board when referee Mark Jackson awarded a penalty try as the forward pack of the league champions Navy SC failed three times in a row to hold the Havelock forwards near the Navy try line. Joe Brown had no issues with the kick under the post. (Navy 00 – Havelock 07)
Navy SC looked flustered in attack as none of their players failed to break the strong Havelock defense as they stood firm and organized. Havelock SC extended their lead in the 22nd minute when their speedster Chamara Dabare touched down near the corner flag after Mohammed Sherrif’s drubber kick was not well defended by Akila Nuwan Hettiarachchi inside their own goal area. Joe Brown failed to add the extra points. (Navy 00 – Havelock 12)
Nuwan Hettiarachchi missed another penalty kick in the 30th minute to disappoint the large contingent of Navy supporters who had turned out to support their team. Navy SC were struck with another major blow when their two key players Eranga Swarnathilake and Yoshitha Rajapakshe were sin binned for illegally counter attacking in a ruck which prevented Havelock SC from scoring a try but referee Mark Jackson awarded another penalty try to the park club which gave them an excellent lead going into the half time. Joe Brown converted the 2nd penalty try.
(Navy 00 – Havelock 19)
With the stroke of half time whistle, Navy SC got their first points on the scoreboard when Nuwan Hettiarachchi fired across a 38 meter penalty kick.
Half Time : Navy SC 03 – Havelock SC 19
After the lemons, Chanaka Chandimal restarted the game. Navy SC reduced the healthy Havelock lead early on in the second half when Havelock SC were caught off side and Nuwan Hettiarachchi bisected the posts with a 25 meter penalty in the 42nd minute of the game.
(Navy 06 – Havelock 19)
Navy SC looked much more organized in the 2nd half as they played with intent and they played to a proper game plan. The forwards looked mobile and made less mistakes and their back line ran attacking angles to test the Havelock defense strategies. Navy SC enjoyed most of the possession and territory in the third quarter of the game as Havelock SC was made to defend fiercely. Coordination and communication between the forwards and backs was more improved by Navy in the second half compared to the first half.
Havelock SC scored their first points of the second half in the 60th minute when Joe Brown slanted the ball in middle of the uprights after Navy SC forwards were penalized for not binding properly in a scrum. (Navy 06 – Havelock 22)
Navy SC were down and out until Lee Keegal dived into the goal line to touch down for Navy SC in the 68th minute after he received a brilliant off load from his center partner Apisai Naqalevu. Nuwan Hettiarachchi added the extra points. (Navy 13 – Havelock 22)
Saliya Handapangoda the replacement scrum half for Navy SC helped his team to close down the Havelock lead to touching distance when he finished off a great Navy offensive attack in the 72nd minute after a series of impulsive phases deep inside Havelock territory. Nuwan Hettiarachchi converted the try to sear up the final few minutes of this stunning clash of the titans. (Navy 20 – Havelock 22)
The game was going down to the wire as fitness levels were tested of the players from both teams and the fresh legs were brought in from the bench to give the needed killer instinct to this high profile final.
Saliya Handapangoda broke Havelock hearts in the 78th minute when he intercepted a loose pass from Chamara Dabare to run more than 50 meters and score to put the comeback kings Navy SC into the lead for the first time during the course of this game. Nuwan Hettiarachchi converted Saliya’s second try in less than 8 minutes to extend the slight lead.
(Navy 27 – Havelock 22)
Havelock SC was surprised and stunned as they had the Clifford Cup in their grasps as Navy SC were well behind 16 points with only 15 minutes remaining in the game but the unbeaten champions of 2013/14 club rugby season showcased one of the most surreal comebacks to win a rugby match. Mark Jackson blew the final whistle to end the greatest rugby season for Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club as they were crowned the undisputed kings of Sri Lankan rugby.
Full Time : Navy SC 27 – Havelock SC 22
ThePapare.com Man of the Match – Saliya Handapangoda
