CR and FC reign in the rain

Defending champs CR and FC were declared winners of their Cup Segment encounter in the Mastercard Inter-Club A Division League Rugby Tournament after torrential rain forced officials to abandon the match at Longden Place yesterday. Leading 20-14 at halftime, CR and FC were awarded the victory as the waterlogged field became unplayable, with touchlines submerged and player safety at risk.

The Red Shirts started strongly, with lock forward Shenal Adhikaram powering over for the opening try in the seventh minute. Fullback Zubair Doray added the extras to make it 7-0.

Havelock SC responded swiftly, as scrum-half Mohamed Rifan broke through for a try in the 13th minute. Fullback Samuel Maduwantha’s conversion leveled the scores at 7-7.

CR and FC then took control through the boot of playmaker Mursheed Doray, who slotted a penalty in the 18th minute to edge his side ahead at 10-7. Havelocks suffered a setback when winger Chathana Rajaratne was shown a yellow card in the 19th minute, reducing them to 14 men.

Taking advantage of the numerical superiority, CR and FC extended their lead as Mursheed Doray slotted another penalty in the 21st minute to make it 13-7. Ten minutes later, skipper Gemunu Chethiya dived over for a well-worked try, which Zubair Doray converted to stretch the advantage to 20-7.

Havelocks, back to full strength after Rajaratne’s return from the sin-bin, struck back in the 34th minute. Rifan showcased quick footwork to score his second try under the posts, with Maduwantha’s conversion closing the gap to 20-14. However, just minutes before halftime, the heavens opened with torrential rain, turning the field into a virtual swimming pool. Despite efforts to continue, conditions worsened after the break, with standing water making the touchlines invisible. After 20 minutes of waiting, match officials called off the game, awarding CR and FC the win based on their halftime lead.

Despite CR and FC’s victory, the Commander Eustace Matthysz Memorial Trophy will remain with Havelock SC, who secured a 53-42 win in the first-round clash at Havelock Park. With an overall aggregate of 67-62 in favour of the Park Club, Havelocks retain the prestigious silverware despite their rain-affected defeat at Longden Place.

Referee: Suranga Aruanthantha

 Source:Daily News