Sports

Defending champions Kandy came out for the first time this season. As expected they easily defeated Army by 23 points (1 goal, 2 tries and 2 penalties) to 9 (3 penalties) in their Caltex ‘A’ Division premier league rugby encounter at Havelock Park.

To say that the score line is flattering would be the understatement of the previous century. Kandy looked like a side who were playing their first game of the season. Army had their chances. But bad ball handling and poor judgment at crucial situations put paid to their chances.

Army took the lead in the fifth minute when Sri Lanka and Army fullback Ajith Silva put over a 20 metre penalty. Kandy hit back when Prasad Chaturanga made a break covering over 40 metres. Winger Sanjeewa Jayasinghe put the finishing touches. Nalaka Weerakkody who looked a shadow of himself, fluffed the conversion. The visitors increased their lead when Weerakkody put over an easy penalty in the 33rd minute. At lemons Kandy led by 8- 3.

Silva converted a penalty early in the second half. After that it was more or less, one way traffic. Jayasinghe and stand off Niloufer Ibrahim scored while Weerakkody put over another penalty.

The champions seem to court controversy whenever they play in Colombo. Yesterday was no exception. Jayasinghe’s second try was awarded by touch judge Dinka Peiris as referee Dilroy Fernando was unsighted. Many on that side claimed it was not a clear touch down. The end result of this was a yellow card for Army’s scrum half D. S. Hapangoda – for dissent. Dinka also had the worst half this writer has ever seen. First an Army back, tackled a Kandy player who did have the ball! Then, as if to even the tally, he ignored a deliberate obstruction by a Kandy player with Army’s Hapangoda in a good position to touch down.

In order to prevent further embarrassment to the linesman, referee Dilroy Fernando switched the linesmen.

Referee Dilroy had a reasonably good game. But it is high time he and other senior referees have a seminar for touch judges and junior referees in order to drill into them the laws of the game.