(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – Defending Champions Kandy Sports Club clinched the 2016/17 ‘A’ Division Inter-Club Rugby League Title with a game to spare after a pulsating 25-11 win over Havelocks Sports Club at the Havelock Park under flood lights yesterday (05th Sunday) evening.
The scintillating game was interrupted multiple times with supporters entering the playing enclosure while several sporadic clashes were also visible among spectators in the stands. The game lived up to its expectation as the ‘Game of the Season’ with the two evenly skilled teams dishing out some superlative rugby to the capacity crowd at the Havelock Park.
The Singaporean referee Charlie Brown was awestruck by the atmosphere at the Park club with papare bands and firecrackers creating a carnival atmosphere. The 6.30 kick-off was also pushed back by a couple of minutes following confusion with an unscheduled team introduction to the guests.
Amidst the confusion, the game got underway with both sets of supporters attempting to out-vocal the other.
Kandy looked the more composed of the sides at the outset, with experienced half combination of Roshan Weeraratne and Fazil Marijah on showcase for the Nittawela based club.
The highest point scorer of the tournament Dulaj Perera however sent the crowds into a frenzied chant as he put over a penalty to give the home team an early head start.
The Havies familiar indiscipline then crept in as the home team was reduced to 14 men after Hirantha Perera knocked the ball deliberately.
Kandy Full-back Thilina Wijeysinghe could not put the penalty over.
However minutes later Wijeysinghe managed to bisect the uprights with a flawless drop goal attempt and level the scores.
The game was played at an electric speed with both teams not giving anything away to their opponents. However the Havies were dented with a major blow as Perera sustained a leg injury and was stretchered off the field.
The hill club boys then inflicted another mental blow to the Havies with point scoring machine Richard Dharmapala dashing towards the corner flag to plant a typical wing three-quarter try and to give Kandy the lead for the first time in the game.
Havelocks hit back with a Rahul Silva penalty before the half time whistle.
At the stroke of half time Kandy skipper Weeraratne was yellow carded for a now strictly implemented high tackle rule with no complaints from the recipient.
At lemons Kandy led 08-06.
On resumption, both teams were under pressures and let several scoring opportunities go a begging.
Sean Wijeysinghe’s men took 15 minutes to add to their first half tally. Kandy scored a peach of a try through Ganuka Dissanayake and Danushka Ranjan planted a customary try to ensure clear day-light between the Champions and former League leaders.
With the game running away from the hosts, supporters intervened in the proceedings. The organizers were ill prepared for the blockbuster encounter with only a handful of security and police personnel on duty. The boisterous spectators easily outnumbered the security however home team players managed to reassure the much infuriated fans.
The Havelock players played catch up there on with the League Title on the line. Havies managed to score their opening try of the game in the final quarter through Nishon Perera however Rahul Silva fluffed the conversion.
On the other end of the field Kandy were given a penalty 10 meters away from the goal line and Full-back Wijeysinghe obliged with ease.
During the stoppage time, hundreds of traveling Kandy supporters were treated with a scintillating individual brilliance by sevens star Srinath Sooriyabandara who scored a 40 meter try to secure a famous bonus point win at the Havelock Park.
The Ronnie Ibrahim side was conquered by a team which showed better intent and committed fewer mistakes on the day.
Havies will now travel to Welisara to face the wounded Sailors in their final game while the wooden spoonists CH & FC will host Kandy SC in Colombo next week to conclude the 2016/17 Inter-Club Rugby season.
The results of the two encounters will however have no bearing on the League standings and next week, Kandy Sports Club will be officially crowned as Champions of Local rugby for another year.
