By Dwayne Ferreira
Kandy Sports Club wrapped up the first round of the Mastercard Inter-Club ‘A’ Division Rugby League 2024/25 in emphatic style, overpowering defending champions CR & FC with a dominant 32 to 10 points victory to remain unbeaten in the first round at Longdon Place yesterday.
The match began with CR taking control, utilizing their forward strength to score through a rolling maul, finished off by Achitha Radeeshan, with Zubair Doray converting to give the hosts an early seven to zero lead. However, Kandy wasted no time in responding. Dhanushka Ranjan intercepted a pass and sprinted to the line to put Kandy on the board, before sneaking through the defense again from a well-executed rolling maul to hand his side the lead.
Kandy’s attacking rhythm only grew stronger, as their backline put on a clinical display of creative play. From a well-worked move from the scrum, Dinal Ekanayake powered through multiple defenders, setting up an opening for winger Kavindu Perera to dive over for Kandy’s third try.
The second half saw CR & FC push hard for a comeback, dominating possession but failing to breach Kandy’s rock-solid defensive wall. Their only points in the half came from a well-taken penalty by Doray after Kandy was caught offside, reducing the deficit by five points (15/10). But Kandy wasn’t done yet, and they turned up the heat as the match neared its climax.
A sensational kick from the fifty to the twenty-two metre mark from Heshan Jansen gave Kandy another attacking platform, and despite CR & FC’s resistance, a barnstorming carry from Milan Weerasinghe cracked their defensive line. His brilliant backhand offload found number eight Dahan Wickramarachchi, who bulldozed through to secure the bonus-point try.
Not long after, Kandy put the final stamp on their victory with a breathtaking first-phase move off a scrum, executed to perfection as the ball was spread wide for Perera to finish his second try of the evening. Tharinda Ratwatte, after a few earlier misses, slotted the conversion and later added a penalty to put the result beyond doubt.
With this win, Kandy SC not only extends their unbeaten run but also sends a strong message to their league rivals. Their well-structured attack and impenetrable defense were on full display, proving they are the team to beat.
As the competition moves into the second round, Kandy’s momentum is undeniable, while CR & FC will need to regroup to defend their title.
Full Time
CR & FC 10 (1T, 1C, 1P)
Kandy SC 32 (5T, 2C, 1P)
Player of the Match
Tharindu Chathuranga (Kandy SC)
Points Breakdown
CR & FC 10
Achitha Radeeshan 1T, Zubair Doray 1C, 1P
Kandy SC 32
Danushka Ranjan 2T, Kavindu Perera 2T, Dahan Wickramarachchi 1T, Tharinda Ratwatte 2C, 1P
