Kazakhs taste Lankan special with spice
View(s):HSBC Asian5Nations Division I rugby championship
By Naushad Amit
Fullback Reeza Mubarak enjoyed a brilliant day on the field as Sri Lanka thumped over Kazakhstan by 49-18 in what could be termed as an unexpected outcome to pocket the HSBC Asian5Nations Division I rugby championship at Havelock Park in Colombo yesterday.
Sri Lanka replacement fullback Mohamed Sheriff is brought down by a Kazakhstan defender. - Pix by Amila Gamage
Sri Lanka played up to their potential as a unit taking the Kazakhs in total surprise as Mubarak contributed with 19 points from the tally to strengthen Sri Lanka’s cause. He was also crowned as the player of the tournament after kicking over five conversions and three penalties as Sri Lanka became eligible to compete for the World Cup Qualifiers 2019, in the elite Asian5Nations Top 5 group next year.
Sri Lanka entered the game with an added advantage of 12 points overall inclusive of bonus points from their game against Thailand who shocked Kazakhstan with 33-10 win in the curtain-raiser of the competition.
Both Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan beat Chinese Taipei comprehensively but the Tuskers’ opponents on Saturday needed a big win inclusive of bonus points if they were to make a sudden comeback.
Eventually that remained as wish never to be materialised as Sri Lanka rampaged to lead the halftime by 30-6. Sri Lanka scored from a tally of six tries, five conversions and three penalties while Kazakhstan who toiled for points scored two penalties in the first half and returned to score from two tries and a conversion.
Sri Lanka, as custom during this year’s A5N competition, played rather cautiously as Kazakhstan sounded an early warning by putting over a penalty off fullback Maxim Lifontov in the second minute but they made too many errors while trying to penetrate through the Sri Lanka defence.
As a result their lead lasted only for two minutes before Sri Lanka took total control over when winger Sandun Herath broke lose to score a brilliant try. After his successful conversion, Mubarak returned to put over two difficult penalties from the 40metre line in the seventh and 20th minutes.
Seven minutes later fly half Fazil Marija proved his brilliance with a superb offload to centre Gayan Weeraratne on the 50metre line, who in return gave lock Shenal Dias the opportunity to run past two Kazakhs to score from the left. Mubarak who added the extra points went on to put over another penalty from the 40metre line in the 38th minute. Lifontoy added three more points for Kazakhstan from a penalty four minutes earlier. In another initiative Marija made another offload to centre Weeraratne who gave his immediate
The victorious Tuskers after beating Kazakhstan 49-18
centre Pradeep Liyanage to score again from the left. With Mubarak’s conversion Sri Lanka took the halftime break with a 30-6 lead.
Sri Lanka made their intentions clear as prop Sathya Ranatunga scored a rampaging try from a maul three minutes after the resumption. Four minutes later the Kazakhs made an unforced error which allowed centre Weeraratne to make a punt which was neatly collected by Marija who landed under-the-posts.
In the 54th minute Marija was back in the spotlight after he made a chip to give number eight Sajith Saranga a clean collection and make a great offload to winger Chamara Dabare to score a brilliant try. Apart from an unlikely drop goal in the first half and the first try in the second half Mubarak succeeded in eight attempts from total of ten. Kazakhstan made a late attempt by scoring two late tries off fly half Daulet Akymbekov in the 60th minute and centre Alexander Zolotukhin who scored eight minutes later as Lifontov converted the second try. In a decisive game earlier to decide the team that will leave the group, Chinese Taipei handed Thailand with a strong tally of 52-23 to send back their opponents to the HSBC Asian5Nations Division II. Chinese Taipei who trailed at half time by 14-16 made a strong burst in the second half to score from a total of eight tries and six conversions. Thailand scored from two converted tries and three penalties.
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