Kandy Sports Club finished as the runner-up of the Dialog Club Rugby League 2013/14 when they edged past Army Sports Club 29-12 at the picturesque Race course grounds in the penultimate game of the league.
Army SC decided to host their final game at Race course international grounds. Sri Lanka’s best fly half currently Fazil Marija kicked off the game on a perfect day for running open rugby. Kandy SC showed their supremacy early on from few scintillating line breaks to test the Army defense. Kandy SC got their first points on the board when their full back and place-kicker Thilina Wijesinghe bisected the uprights from an easy 25 meter penalty Kandy received after Army line was caught offside. (Kandy 03 – Army 00)
With only 7 minutes on the clock, Thilina Wijesinghe, playing his maiden club rugby season finished off a brilliant ‘Kandy’ move initiated by some superb handling by David Frank Halaifonua, Lavanga Perera and Fazil Marija from their own 22 meter territory line. Army SC defense was scrappy in organizing itself as Thilina Wijesinghe touched down to extend the Kandy lead. Skipper Roshan Weeraratne converted. (Kandy 10 – Army 00)
Kandy SC continuously attacked the Army defense in the first 10 minutes as their defense tactics were in motion from the first move itself. Army cut down the deficit in the 14th minute by an under the post try by Krishanth Pushpakumar which started from a Kandy’s handling mistake and Army SC had their first points on the scoreboard for the evening.
Maika Ligaqaqa made no mistake with the conversion. (Kandy 10 – Army 07)
Kandy SC enjoyed the width of the race course as they completely depended on the speed and skills of their superb back line and their skipper Roshan Weeraratne scored a well-deserved try in the 23rd minute of the game after another attacking line break by Kandy SC three quarters. Thilina Wijesinghe missed the conversion. (Kandy 15 – Army 07)
In-form Kandy SC extended their lead in the 32nd minute when their Tongan number 8 Vaeatangitau Sailosi barged over for a try from a 5 meter scrum attacking scrum deep inside Army territory and the big Tongan was unstoppable from such a short distance.
Thilina Wijesinghe added the extra points. (Kandy 22 – Army 07)
As the game progressed to the end of the first half, Army SC received a golden opportunity to put another 3 points under their name after Kandy SC players were penalized for coming in from the side for a ruck situation but Army SC’s number 10 Maika Ligaqaqa missed the opportunity as the scores remained the same.
Half Time : Kandy SC 22 – Army SC 07
After a beautiful and eye catching aerobics display by Army performers in the half time break, the match was restarted by Mohammed Rizwi’s boot. Kandy SC lacked their true intensity early in the second half which they displayed purely in the first half. Line out throwing was a headache to the Army camp as their replacement hooker Aravinda Karunaratne gave away the possession to their opponents in a critical stage of the game.
Fazil Marija the golden boy from Kandy had a terrific game as he controlled the game incredibly well from his pet position of fly half. Fazil found runners from different angles to hit strongly at the Army’s defense wall and the Kandy backline was a treat to watch with the ball in their hands.
No points were scored in the first 30 minutes of the second half as Kandy gave away a large amount of penalties to Army but the home team was lacking in players who can add the finishing touches. Army enjoyed much possession and territory in the second half. Poor handling was seen throughout the 2nd half as well and the spectators were disappointed due to the slow pace of the game in the 2nd half compared to the fast, open 1st half.
Army scored the first points in the second half when the game was 70 minutes over when their hard working Samoan number 8 Lalai Jalebula scored near the left corner flag after a series of pick and go plays. Kandy SC was defending ferociously but Lalai Jalebula used all his skills and experience to penetrate a small hole in the strong Kandy SC defense. Skipper Upali Wickramasinghe failed to convert the try. (Kandy 22 – Army 12)
Kandy pocketed the game from their brilliant fast rugby in the first half and due credit should be given to the solid Kandy defense. Thilina Wijesinghe scored his 2nd try for the game in the final move of the match after Lavanga Perera scraped through the Army defense and his timely offload found Thilina’s hands as Kandy finally managed to score in the second half. Fazil Marija converted the try as referee Irshad Cader blew the final whistle to end another game of rugby where the final honors went to Kandy SC.
Full Time : Kandy SC 29 – Army SC 12
ThePapare.com Man of the Match – Fazil Marija
