Sri Lanka denied India of much contact play during the Asia Men’s Division 1 rugby series semi-final match which the islanders pulled off quite convincingly with a 45-10 win at Race Course on Monday (April 30).
There was enough voice in the local press about Sri Lanka having decided to run wide and not straight into the big made Indian players; who seemed well-drilled for this game. The soggy ground conditions and the endurance of the host team players seemed too much in the end for the Indians.
Sri Lanka will now meet Kazakhstan in the ‘Cup Championship’ final as the latter qualified by beating Qatar 33-31 in the curtain raiser game of the tournament. The winners collected their points through five tries and four conversions while Qatar responded with four tries, four conversions and a penalty.
Sri Lanka played many new faces in international rugby; largely because the best players were not taxed during the entire 80-minute semi-final game. Their strengths were preserved for the tough forwards battle they are expecting in the final against the Kazakhs on Saturday. Both Kazakhstan and Qatar field many big made players, but critics point out that the former would give Sri Lanka a torrid time in the final because they carry so much experience in the sport of rugby union.
India held on stubbornly during the first 14 minutes of the game and even led 3-0 briefly with a well-taken penalty by skipper Deepak Kumar. But the Sri Lankan players’ experience and fleet footedness forced the Indian defence to crack at regular intervals. Sri Lanka raked up three tries in the first half through Pulasthi Dissanayake, Thenuka Nanayakkara and fast running winger Sudaraka Dikkumbura and went into half time with a score of 21 points against 3. All three tries were converted by Tharinda Ratwatte who had a great game.
India’s defence just blew away in the second half as Sri Lanka ran wide and hard again and earned four more tries. Dissanayake playing as hooker smashed his way through a driving maul with the second half just four minutes old.
Then Nanayakkara got the crowd to slip to the edge of their seats when he punched the fifth hole in the Indian defence with a deceptive run; selling a dummy to an Indian player on his way to the try line.
The Indians hit back with a try by prop Bharath Dagar when the visitors intelligently worked off a line out which came at a time when the Sri Lankans were under pressure playing with 14 players. The try was converted by skipper Kumar who had an outstanding game.
But those little setbacks couldn’t stop the marauding Sri Lankans from earning two more tries before the final whistle went. Tharinda Ratwatte sliced through the Indian defence in the 73rd minute of play and replacement full back sealed the game for the hosts with a brilliant under the posts try and a well-taken conversion minutes before the end.
The Cup Championship final and the 3rd place play-off will be worked off on Saturday (May 4) at the Race Course grounds. The tournament is conducted by Sri Lanka Rugby on behalf of Asia Rugby.
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