Sri Lanka junior rugby team suffered a heart-breaking 31-28 loss at the hands of the South Koreans on the opening match day of the Junior Asian Rugby Championships 2014 played at the Race Course International Rugby Stadium on Sunday.
Junior Tuskers skipper Tarinda Ratwatte started off the proceedings as he kicked off the game on a bright evening for open rugby. Sri Lanka possessed with the best set of school ruggerites displayed their true colours as soon as the 2nd minute of the match when scrum-half Sudam Parinda touched down after play-maker Omalka Gunarathne spotted a loophole in the Korean defense. Tarinda Ratwatte made no mistake with the conversion as the hosts took the early lead. (Sri Lanka 07 – South Korea 00)
The Koreans capitalized from an error by the Lankans in a breakdown when their scrum-half Sangho Ahn sneaked through the defense to score their 1st try with only 5 minutes on the match clock. Outside-half Gumin Han converted the try to level the scores as both teams settled down perfectly. (Sri Lanka 07 – South Korea 07)
The visitors played a physical game using their heavy and robust forwards while the mobility of the Lankan pack was exceptional though they failed to hold on to the marauding lock/skipper Daehwan Kim from scoring the 2nd try as the white-striped Koreans took the lead for the first time in the 12th minute of the match. Gumin Han bisected the posts with ease to stretch the lead. (Sri Lanka 07 – South Korea 14)
The exciting schoolboys from Sri Lanka hit back strongly in the 17th minute of the match as they used their speedy and talented back line to great effect to help center Sanchana Sheik to run a classic angle and touch down under the posts. Captain Tarinda Ratwatte added the extra points to level the scores.
(Sri Lanka 14 – South Korea 14)
South Korea exploited a weak link in the Lankan set-plays as they drove a strong 20 meter maul to overpower the Lankans and score their 3rd try using their flanker Kyounghwan Hwang as the first quarter of the match ended with the visitors taking the lead. Place kicker Gumin Han’s conversion went astray. (Sri Lanka 14 – South Korea 19)
Omalka Gunarathne once again broke off from the back of the scrum as he initiated an excellent phase which ended with the Lankan full back Nimshan Jayawardene crossing the try line. Tarinda Ratwatte converted from a difficult angle as the hosts took a slight 2-point lead.
(Sri Lanka 21 – South Korea 19)
Sri Lankans suffered a minor setback in the 31st minute of the 1st half when their tight head prop-forward Ganuka Dissanayake was yellow carded by the referee for a foul play in a breakdown. The Koreans used the one-man advantage as their bulldozing prop-forward Hung Chi Pan barged over the try line to regain the lead with only five minutes left for the half-time whistle. Fly-half Gumin Han missed the conversion. (Sri Lanka 21 – South Korea 24)
Exhilarating and restless first half came to an end with another breath-taking moment when the Lankan skipper Tarinda Ratwatte’s 35 meter penalty kick ricocheted off the posts but fell straight into a Korean defender.
Half Time: Sri Lanka 21 – South Korea 24
After the lemons break, South Korean first five-eighth Gumin Han recommenced the game. Few clinical errors by both teams ensured no team score any points in the 3rd quarter of the match as both teams used different tactics compared to the first half. Both teams used the tactic of gaining territory than possession as t
South Koreans were dominant in the scrums with their heavier pack though the Lankan forwards were technically correct most of the time in the scrums. Visitors were very poor in their lineouts as their hooker Minhyeok Yeo threw crooked passes which was not very professional in an international match.
Lankans wearing the colorful green jersey was a treat to watch in full throttle as they were up against players who are way bigger in size. Sri Lankan number 8 Omalka Gunarathne stood out with his unique and dazzling style of playing.
Captain Tarinda Ratwatte used all his experience and skills in the 60th minute of the match as he scored an individual brilliance try as he shrugged off defenders and side-stepped on the way to a dashing 50 meter sprint to score under the posts and he converted his own try to take his team back in to the lead. (Sri Lanka 28 – South Korea 24)
Final quarter of the match was played at a stealth pace as both nations looked to close out the game. The Lankan coaching staff did not use a single replacement from the bench except when they were forced to bring in Stephan Gregory into the front row when Ganuka was in the sin-bin.
South Koreans injected fresh blood from the bench and they were successful as the replacement prop forward Junsu Heo touched down in the 75th minute of the match after their forwards gained territory and possession through fierce attacking through the fringes. Full back Jaekwang Jeong converted. (Sri Lanka 28 – South Korea 31)
Lankans tried their best to score another try in the dying stages of the match and redeem themselves to a deserving triumph but the Koreans held on to the spirited Junior Tuskers to win the game by a whisker margin. Tarinda Ratwatte’s boys in green played a brave game which had the inimitable island flair.
Full Time: Sri Lanka 28 – South Korea 31
