Tuskers end Day one with a comprehensive victory over Taipei

Sri Lanka ended their group games with a fairly comfortable 33nil victory over Chinese Taipei as the two teams faced off at the Asian 7s Series 3^rd leg currently underway at the Racecourse International stadium.

With a win and a loss under their belt from the two games played prior, the Sri Lanka rugby team knew that a win against Taipei was important to secure a second place finish in their group and Sudarshana Muthuthanthri’s charges went about their business dispatching their opponents for five tries.

Sri Lanka got off to the perfect start in the game with Tarinde Rattwatte going over for a try in the 1^st minute. Chinese Taipei did come up with few threatening moments but the Sri Lankan defense stood firm. Instead it was Sri Lanka who scored yet again with Danushka Ranjan bursting through the opposition defense from inside his own 22’ before exchanging passes with Jason Dissanayake and going over for an under the posts try. The Tuskers increased their lead almost from the ensuing restart with Ratwatte going over his 2^nd try in the game. He converted both the tries as the teams went into half time.

 HALF TIME: SRI LANKA 21 – CHINESE TAIPEI 00

 Chinese Taipei came up with some promising moments yet again and looked close to scoring a try of their own but they seemed to lack the cutting edge that was required to pierce the Sri Lankan defense. Any hopes of Taipei making headway into the game were vanquished when Jason Dissanayake and Sudarashana Muthuthanthri combined to send Srinath Sooriyabanadara under the posts. Ratwatte surpisingly missed the easy conversion but his team were well in control.

Sri Lanka added the icing on a fine game scoring their 5^th try in the final moments through Richard Dharamapala. Kevin Dixon added the extras to end the game in favour of the Tuskers.

FULL TIME: SRI LANKA 33 – CHINESE TAIPEI 00

Sri Lanka vs China

Two stunning tries from Danushka Ranjan in the first half propelled the Tuskers to a much  needed 28 points to 7 win over China in their second group game at the Asian 7s series 3^rd leg currently underway at the Racecourse International Rugby Stadium.

Photos – Asia Sevens Colombo Leg 2017 – Day 1

Having gone down to the Koreans in their first game, hosts Sri Lanka took on China, whom lately have been getting the better of the tuskers in this year’s 7s series. Heavy showers along with strong winds across the playing area meant the conditions were not most suitable for fast open rugby.

The hosts got off to the perfect start when Dhanushka Ranjan used his sheer strength to fend off the attentions of a couple of defenders and sprint 60 meters for a wonderful try. Tarinda Ratwatte added the extras to hand the tuskers an early 7nil lead. Both teams tried their best to adapt to the ground conditions but neither team managed to make any headway until the final minute in the first half when Ranjan scored his second try of the game which was more or less a carbon copy of his first. Ratwatte added put over the under the post conversion as Sri Lanka went into the break with a 14nil lead.

HALF TIME: SRI LANKA 14 – CHINA 00

China started off the second half much brighter than the first half and looked threatening early on but against the run of play it was the hosts who struck yet again. Chong Ma’s attempted punt was charged down by Ratwatte and the ball found its way to Richard Dharamapla who had the space and pace to dash 70 meters before crashing down under the posts in the ninth minute. Ratwatte added the easy extras yet again to put his team on a commanding position. (SL 21 – CHN 00)

China did manage to breach the Tuskers defense when Changshun Chan managed to find the space and scamper through under the posts. The extras were added but with two scores differentiating the team’s things didn’t look positive for the Chinese. With time running out the tuskers sealed the game in the final minute whit debutant Reeza Rafaideen who made his first senior appearance for the tuskers brushed past a backpedaling Chinese defenders to score beside the posts. Rafaideen converted his own try and with it secure a vital win for the hosts.

FULL TIME: SRI LANKA 28 – CHINA 07

Sri Lanka v South Korea

Sri Lanka were left to rue their errors of judgment as they went down to South Korea in their opening game of the Asian Rugby 7s series 3^rd leg which kicked of today at the racecourse international rugby stadium.

Early rains prior to kick off meant the playing conditions were wet underfoot and not the ideal for 7s rugby but it was the Koreans who seemed to have settled in quickly into the game. Taking advantage of some missed tackles and unorganized defense, the Koreans drew first blood scoring in the 3^rd minute. Hyun Su Kim was the man who ticked his name on the scoresheet but his try went unconverted.

The Tuskers came back with a good response and after a few phases after the restart Jason Dissanyake powered his way through to the try line. Ratwatte added the extras with a fine conversion to level the scores. (SL 07 – SK 07). In tit for tat response the Koreans responded immediately with Jae Bok Lee taking advantage once again of poor defense of the hosts, kicking the ball ahead and following it up to score besides the posts. The try was converted and the Koreans were back in the lead. (SL 07 – 14 SK) South Korea went on to increase their lead just before the break with another try which was converted.

HALF TIME: SRI LANKA 07 – SOUTH KOREA 21

The 2^nd half saw the Tuskers coming all guns blazing and it took them only a couple of minutes before pocket- rocket Srinath Sooriyabandara whizzed past the Korean defense to score a brilliant try. “Soori” added the extras himself to cut the deficit in half. The hosts were back in level terms with Danushka Ranjan going over under the posts immediately after the restart. (SL 21- SK 21). With the turn of the tides there was hopes of a comeback by the hosts with just minutes remaining on the clock but South Korea’s Jeon Min Kim used the slippery ground conditions and with just a simple change of direction found a gaping hole in the Tuskers defense, to scamper through for an under the post try. Kim converted his own try and with that sealed the win for his team.

FULL TIME: SRI LANKA 21 – SOUTH KOREA 28

Day 1 Results