CR & FC came up with a sparkling display to thrash Navy SC by 37 points to 17 points in their second round encounter in the Nippon Paint rugby league encounter played at Race Course ground yesterday.
It was a grand display of determined display of fast rugby that gave CR this massive win towards the finish. They scored six tries, two conversions and a penalty collecting a bonus point as well.
Navy SC displayed their grit and courage in defence but that too faded away with their team in disarray for most of the game. They never used possession in the proper manner with no backing for the player carrying the ball.
CR scored the first try in the 13th minute when a three-quarter move saw Chamod Muthunayake dashing over the line for an unconverted try.
Navy hit back almost immediately with some forceful play that saw Adeesha Weerathunga go over the line. With Thilina Weerasinghe adding the extra points they took a two point lead.
CR came back with their three-quarters running the ball around well. They went ahead in the 26th minute through a try again by Chamod Muthunayake that went unconverted.
Navy fought back spiritedly and scored again after they put the finishing touches to a rolling maul off a lineout. Nirosh Perera went over with the ball to take the lead again 12-10.
With the game almost at half time CR opted to take a kick at goal for a penalty and Chathura Seneviratne put it over to give CR the lead 13-12 at half time.
Navy players seemed to have lost their composure and though offering a good display in defence, they could not make good use of possession.
CR on the other hand looked to run the ball around to pick the openings. They scored twice after the turn-around with tries by Ruchira Ekanayake and Lahiru Pavithra. One was converted by Seneviratne to take the scores to 25 points to 12.
Navy struck back this time with the kick off and a knock-on by a CR player saw Samith Dananjaya collect the ball and dash over for a try.
CR scored twice more tries through Lasindu Karunathillake and Thenuka Nanayakkara to give them their six tries in the match.
Seneviratne converted the last try and CR were home comfortably by 37 points to 17.
Gihan Yatawara refereed.