Sri Lankan rugby player’s chance of creating history and winning the Bronze was stopped by poor refereeing at the vital Quarter Final game against Hong Kong at the Asian Games Rugby Tournament held in Guangzhou, China.

The Sri Lankan outfit went down to China 31-5 and later on beaten by a well balanced Korean outfit 43 to nothing in the group stages. But hit back strongly in the Indian game running riot in the second half to score a run away 42-12 win.

In the Hong Kong game Sri Lankan’s scored twice both times the referee disallowing the try. Taking part in the play off for 6th position Sri Lanka beat a tougher Thailand outfit 26-12. Shane Dullewa, Secretary of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) said “we were very unfortunate not to go for the Bronze Medal. Our boys played their hearts out in the Hong Kong game and a few decisions went against our lads which was very evident from watching the game and the Manager’s Coaches report”.

The side led by Radhika Hettiarachchi and the rest of the team performed remarkably well continuing their good form from the Malaysian Sevens where they ended as Plate Finalist. The side will by under the watchful eyes of Coach Imthisam Marikkar and his assistant Sudath Sampath and will take wing for the Chennai Sevens soon after today’s Carlton Sevens. The touring party along with the rest of the pool players will be starting training in two days times for the Chennai Sevens which will be worked off in the 2nd week of December.

Rugby Football was introduced to Asian Games in 1998 at Thailand. In the finals Asian Giants Japan marked their superiority when they edged out Hong Kong in closely fought encounter 28-21.