Army edge Navy 41–38 in season thriller
While the Sailors managed to foil the Soldiers’ plans in the first half to take a surprising 17–12 lead at half-time and maintain control during the early stages of the second half, the hosts produced a destructive response thereafter. Army bounced back with a clinical display, scoring at will to surge to a commanding 41–24 lead with just ten minutes remaining.
By then, Army SC had scored seven tries and three conversions. However, Navy SC, following the introduction of veteran Stefan Sansoni, almost turned the tables by scoring twice to complete a tally of six tries and four conversions, collecting bonus points and turning the contest into an unexpectedly thrilling affair. During the final five minutes, however, the Soldiers defended resolutely, preventing any late damage and protecting their three-point margin to seal a narrow victory. The Sailors, meanwhile, secured an additional bonus point for losing within seven points, on top of the bonus earned for scoring four tries.
Army sounded an early alarm by dominating the opening exchanges and scoring a try from a rolling maul, with hooker Nalin Kumara touching down in the fourth minute. Centre Dinesh Victor converted to give Army a 7–0 lead, which was extended to 12–0 three minutes later when winger Tharinda Chandrasena crossed for an unconverted running try.
Navy responded with two tries after sustained pressure, gradually neutralising the Soldiers’ game plan. Winger Chanaka Jayalath scored an unconverted try in the 11th minute, before fullback Thilina Weerasinghe broke away after prolonged territorial dominance to add another unconverted try in the 19th minute.
The Soldiers, visibly frustrated, were dealt a further blow when centre Chirantha Kaluarachchi completed fine line work to score a try, which Weerasinghe converted with ease. Navy thus claimed a 17–12 lead for the first time, a margin they maintained until half-time.
Army returned with renewed intensity after the break but were further stunned when Navy extended their lead to 24–12 in the 43rd minute through a moving try by hooker Pradeep Ranaweera, converted by Weerasinghe. Soon afterwards, however, the Sailors’ stranglehold came to an abrupt end as Army staged a dramatic turnaround. Hooker Nalin Kumara sparked the revival with a breakaway run, producing an audacious move to score in the far-left corner for an unconverted try in the 47th minute, reducing the deficit to 17–24.
A sudden ambush by the Soldiers then transformed the contest entirely. Their comeback proved far more ruthless and destructive, with four unanswered tries reshaping the course of the game. Lock Nalaka Maduranga touched down from a breakaway move in the 55th minute, followed two minutes later by a determined try from fullback Lahiru Ratnayake. Maduranga claimed his second try in the 63rd minute, while flanker Udara Randeniya completed a forwards’ move to score Army’s seventh try. With Victor converting two of four attempts in the second half, Army surged into a commanding 41–24 lead.
The introduction of Sansoni, who replaced Weerasinghe at fullback, almost caused panic in the Army ranks. He created space and momentum, enabling centre Lepani Thivauvavou to score, before adding the conversion to reduce the deficit to 41–31 in the 71st minute. Sansoni then produced a superb 50–22 kick, leading to another Navy try from a lineout through flanker Denuwan Wickramarachchi in the 74th minute. Sansoni again added the extras to close the gap to 41–38.
However, the Soldiers formed a resolute defensive cordon in the closing minutes, ensuring no further breaches and sealing a pulsating victory in one of the most memorable matches of the season.