CR & FC's Asith Wijesinghe had a good game in the second half
A monumental comeback during the second half by CR & FC took them to a famous victory against a strong Navy SC outfit this evening at Longdon place. Navy lead 23 points to 07 at half time but 31 unanswered points by CR in the second half ensured them a 38 – 23 victory with a bonus point.
CR & FC Kick started the proceedings in perfect weather conditions. CR attacked from one corner to another but Navy defended well as they didn’t allow the red shirts to cross the line. When CR lost the ball near the try line, Flanker Adeesha Weerathunga was quick to pounce on the ball and made a superb counter attack towards the CR red zone. Mushin Faleel was there to support Weerathunga as Faleel picked up the quick offload and went over to score the first points in this encounter. Thilina Weerasinghe bisected the uprights to add the extras. (CR 00 – 07 Navy)
CR skipper Tarinda Ratwatte then scored one of the best tries of this season so far as he evaded three Navy defenders with his running angle to score an important try for his side. Tarinda managed to convert and level the score. (CR 07 – 07 Navy)
Both teams started the game at a high pace but the game slowed down after 15 minutes as CR made a few handling errors and conceded unwanted penalties. Gayan Dilshan conceded two penalties in the space of two minutes while Sashika Fernando was penalized for a neck roll. Thilina Weerasinghe was phenomenal with his kicks as he increased Navy’s lead. (CR 07 – 16 Navy)
In the last minutes of the first half Supun Dilshan fended off his opposite number Asith Wijesinghe, showing great upper body strength and offloaded the ball to Weerasinghe to score an easy try for the Sailors. Weerasinghe added the extra points. (CR 07 – 23 Navy)
Half Time – CR & FC 07 (1T, 1C) – 23 (2T, 2C, 3P) Navy SC
CR made some crucial substitutions at the start of the second half as Rehan Silva and Sashan Mohamed replaced Chamodh Fernando and Asith Wijesinghe. These changes made a huge impact to game as the red shirts looked a different outfit in the second half. Sashan Mohamed created an opportunity by breaking the Navy defense line before off-loading to Omalka Gunarathne. Gunarathne managed to pass to the birthday boy Supun Waranakulasooriya as he scored near the right corner flag to reduce the gap. CR was on song as their rolling maul finally clicked and they made more than 20 meters. Navy didn’t commit defenders towards the maul but finally when it was brought down, scrum half Kavindu De Costa spread the ball to the corner for Sashan Mohamed to score a crucial try. Both of these difficult conversions from the corner bisected the uprights as Ratwatte was on top of his game. (CR 21 – 23 Navy)
Navy was shocked by the comeback as they continued to leak penalties and Ratwatte obliged. Navy conceded a penalty just outside of their own 22 meter and Ratwatte managed to bisect the uprights and give CR the lead for the first time in the game. (CR 24 – 23 Navy)
Navy had a few opportunities too but they couldn’t capitalize on them as Weerasinghe missed a kickable penalty which could have change the complexion of this game. CR skipper Ratwatte made the killer blow when he dummied the Navy defender and found a hole in the Navy defense to score his second try of the game and the important bonus point try. (CR 31 – 23 Navy)
During the last passage of play Navy tried to score with more continuity in play as more phases of attacking were on display before Dulanjana Wijesinghe knocked on. Omalka Gunarathne was quick to gather the ball and pass to his winger Sashan Mohamed to score a counter-attacking try in the last move of the game. Ratwatte made it 6 out 6 when converted the final try as CR & FC made a phenomenal comeback to win the game after conceding a 16 point deficit at half time. (CR 38 – 23 Navy)
Full Time – CR & FC 38 (5T, 5C, 1P) – 23 (2T, 2C, 3P) Navy SC
- Match Referee : Rohan Fernando
- ThePapare.com Player of the Match – Tarinda Ratwatte (CR & FC)
CR & FC coach Fereti Verebula expressed his thoughts about the game and the second half substitutions “At the end of the day we got what we wanted, which is a win, but we committed more unforced errors which we need to work on before the next game. We wanted the subs when they get in they need to lift their performance up which they did today”
Score Breakdown
CR & FC 38 (07) 5T, 5C, 1P
Tries: Tarinda Ratwatte (2), Sashan Mohamed (2) and Supun Waranakulasooriya
Conversions: Tarinda Ratwatte (5)
Penalties: Tarinda Ratwatte
Navy SC 23 (23) 2T, 2C, 3P
Tries: Mushin Faleel and Thilina Weerasinghe
Conversions: Thilina Weerasinghe (2)
Penalties: Thilina Weerasinghe (3)
