CR HUFF AND PUFF TO BEAT ARMY

Match Report by Ravi Dharmawardane

The tragic loss of Minister Lakshman Kadiragamar the previous night may have been one reason for the poor crowd turnout at Longden Place on Saturday evening. Prior to the kick off, the players in a somber mood observed two minutes silence as a mark of respect for the late minister.

After huffing and puffing for 90 minutes CR managed to come out winners, beating Army 17 points (1 goal, 2 tries) to 10 points (1 goal, 1 penalty). CR led 17 – 7 at the lemons.

The favorites started off with a lot of steam that ended up with a try at the right corner flag by Wekadapola in the 3^rd minute of play. The crowd was warming up in anticipation of champagne rugby. However this was the only passage of play that displayed the kind of rugby CR was capable of. The liquid fluency they displayed during the latter part of the Caltex 1^st round was missing. The back division appeared disjointed and the wingers were not receiving enough good ball to put their famed speed to test.

CR was lucky that Army failed to dish out the hard running rugby they displayed against Kandy only seven days ago. If Army did play the way they played against Kandy the previous weekend, the result would most certainly have read differently. It was surprising to see the soldiers kick away possession together with poor ball handling, contributed to the loss they suffered on Saturday.

Sheriff playing as full back in the absence of Pushpakumara due to a fractured cheek bone missed the first conversion. CR was leading 5 – 0 at this stage. Army went into the lead 15 minutes later through a three quarter move that started in their own 22 meter with the ball passing hands several times for left winger Perakum Fernando to score under the posts. The CR back division was reduced to mere spectators by this move. Army looked dangerous at this stage.

Following this the CR eight had the roll going and was executing it to perfection when the Army players brought it down a meter from the try line. Referee Pradeep Fernando had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try to CR which was converted by Sheriff. CR back into the lead 12 – 7.

5 minutes before the short whistle Mushtaq scored by the left corner flag and Sheriff missed the conversion yet again. Missing conversions, if they are not under the posts is becoming second nature to the CR place kickers. An area CR will need to improve exponentially if they are to win close encounters. If faced with a crunch game similar to the Army Vs Kandy game played last weekend, CR will end up on the losing side more often than not due their poor place kicking.

The second half saw the ball for most parts in the CR half with the Army forwards battering the tight CR defense. Army's failure to cross the CR line during this period is ample testimony to their outstanding defensive work. CR still maintains an average of 4 points per game against them. In the dying stages of the game Duminda put over a simple penalty from 25 meters out to close the gap 17 – 10 CR. When referee Pradeep Fernando blew no side the CR fans and players were a relieved lot.

CR the only unbeaten side in the league cannot be at all satisfied with this win. Coach Grant Dwyer must have had a lot to say to his team after this game and was seen talking to the players in the middle after the game. If CR is to win against Kandy on the 21^st at Nittawela, they will need to get back to the fluency they displayed during the latter part of the 1^st round.

The game up in Kandy will certainly be a scorcher with both sides playing to win at any cost. CR last won the league back in 1998 under Champika Nishantha. Skipper Pavithra Fernando must be looking forward to emulating the feat. Kandy on the other hand with the home advantage in their favor will be looking to inflict defeat on the high riding CR outfit and retain the League championship.

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