By Callistus Davy
Overseas referee JP Clement found himself not only ensuring justice and fairplay at the World Cup qualifying round Asia zone rugby match between South Korea and Sri Lanka but also having to set aside the whistle and caution the home team”s forwards on several occasions at the Race Course ground in Colombo on Friday.
Eventually the lapses may have cost Sri Lanka the match having surged into a 29-14 lead early in the second half and a possible shock result in the making.
To make matters worse reliable goal kicker Tharinda Ratwatte missed crucial kicks within range that could have made the difference as the match ended with a 38-34 scoreline in favour of South Korea.
“Sorry we could not get the job done”, a visibly shaken Ratwatte who captained Sri Lanka said after the match.
Referee Clement on numerous occasions stopped play to brief the Sri Lankan forwards on how to avoid infringements and it culminated in the UAE based match official yellow carding home team scrum half Heshan Jansen and awarding a penalty try during the final ten minutes of play that firmly separated the teams as the scores read 38-29.
But the match truly had its dramatic moments when flanker Lahiru Tillekaratne and Jansen crossed the line to touch down within the space of six minutes after Sri Lanka began the second half leading 17-14 to make the scores 29-14 in their favour.
Initially it looked like the Sri Lankans were to be subjected to a routing when the South Koreans subjugated the home team in a one-sided show in the first 10 minutes before the gutsy fullback Mursheed Doray and winger Pasindu Bandara slipped through for tries.
But overall South Korea’s plan to introduce pack changes in the second half paid dearly in their push for victory as they ended scoring five tries to add to the penalty try that made the eventual difference although winger Dilan Ekanayàke scored Sri Lanka’s fifth try four minutes before the end.
