The triumphant Kandy SC squad comprised Kaveesha Amarasekara, Damian Ratwatte, Apporwa Wijesinghe, Asiri Seneviratne, Damith Dissanayake (captain), Kavindu Perera, Dahan Nithina, Kavishka Bandara, Bawantha Dharmapala, Dhanushka Ranjan, Lakshitha Ranaweera, Charles Praveen, Heshan Jansen, Lasitha Attanagoda, Chathura Zoysa, Dinal Ekanayake, Lavanga Perera, Isuru Lakshan, Malitha Wijesundara, Pathum Weerasinghe, Thilina Bandara, Tharindu Wewala, Nigel Ratwatte, Tharinda Ratwatte, Sanushka Abeywickrama, Uchitha Jayasuriya, Monishan Chandradas, Saumya Wijesiri, Wajid Fawmy, Nimesh Premathilake, Suranga Kasun, Yakoob Ali, Oshan Perera, Anurudda Wilwara, Tharindu Chathuranga
Kandy Sports Club clinched the Nippon sponsored inter-club league rugby title at Nittawela finishing a successful unbeaten tournament with a grand 29-10 win over runners up CR & FC while last year’s runners-up Havelocks contrary to their pre-season boast tasted misery after misery.
It took a smashing second half effort from Kandy to seal their eighth consecutive league title and 23rd overall, having trailed 0-10 at half-time after CR scored a converted try through fly half Thenuka Nanayakkara which was converted by centre Chathura Seneviratne who also slotted in the penalty.
But Kandy stormed back in the second half to score four tries through centre Lavanga Perera, prop forward Mohamed Yakoob Ali, winger Kavindu Perera and fly half Asiri Seneviratne.
Playmaker Tharinda Ratwatte had a super day converting three of the tries and knocking over a penalty which was more than what Kandy needed.
CH bow out a smashed up team
Things could not have got any worse for CH and FC as they were smashed into defeat in their last League outing by the robust Army SC that ran circles around the Maitland Crescent team.
All CH could do was score just 12 points while conceding 60 to the Army outfit at Panagoda.
Every player could have scored tries for Army but the honours fell on Lasantha Kumara (2), Ashan Bandara (2), Nalan Premarathna, Kavindu Amarasiri, Mohamad Rifan, Manoj Kumara and Dhanuka Wijethilake while Chamath Fernando converted six tries and Ashan Bandara put over the penalty.
For the losing CH tries were scored by Udara Jayapala while Hirusha Sampath made the conversion in the first half.
Most humiliating for Havies
Havelocks was a team from whom much was expected but they went through one of their worst seasons recorded in history as they lost to Navy SC by 26 points to 6 in their last League match at the Race Course ground in Colombo.
Navy SC scored their tries through scrum half Thilina Weerasinghe, Dananjaya Seneviratne, Harsha Maduranga and Deshan Vimukthi while Wijesinghe fired across the three conversions as well.
For the losing Havies their points came through fly half Sandesh Jayawickrema who put over two penalties.
Plate champs Air Force beat Police
Air Force SC lived up to their Plate winning image when they edged out Police SC 11-5 in their last match at Police Park yesterday.
For Air Force the match winning try was scored by Ramadas Rumesh while the two penalties were slotted in by the ever reliable kicker Nuwan Perera.
Heshan Thilakarathna scored the solitary try for the losing Police SC.
Incidentally Air Force SC’s versatile player Nuwan Perera clinched the award for the highest point scorer of the tournament with an aggregate of 115.