CR in commanding win over Air Force
CR&FC completed their first round commitments with a commanding 38-5 win against Air Force SC in a penultimate week fixture of SLR-Maliban Club Rugby League 2025/26 under lights at Longdon Place yesterday. CR, who stunned title holders Kandy SC at Nittawela last weekend, thrashed Air Force in a six-try march to record their seventh win in eight outings.
The Red Shirts will now head to the second round as the table toppers, as they take the final weekend off after a tiring game in which most of their key players looked in good shape. CR opened scoring early in the game with a running try from winger Chamod Muthunayake, while No.8 Saula Bilivamua carried a few Airmen on his shoulders on his way to add their second in the 19th minute. Stand-in skipper and flyhalf Zubair Doray put over both conversions to see his team take a lead of 14-0.
Fijian No.8 Saula Bilivamua touched down twice for Red Shirts - Pic by Eshan Fernando
They conceded the only opportunity in the 26th minute when the Airmen staged a rolling maul, out of which hooker Shamika Kaushan touched down. From an offload from Fijian Bilivamua flanker Omalka barged in to touch down in the 38th minute as CR led the halftime by 19-5.
While making constant changes, the Red Shirts managed to add three more tries after the turnover, with Fijian Bilivamua touching down for the second time to give CR’s bonus point try in the 47th minute. Fresh from the school stage, winger Vishenka Silva then entered the frame, scoring his first try at club level, after receiving a stunner all the way from the right end to the left in the 54th minute, before lock Naveen Marasinghe performed a similar finish in the 73rd minute. Doray put over two out of the three kicks as CR forced Air Force out of contention from the Cup segment.