Sri Lanka were minutes away from creating history, but it wasn’t meant to be as the visitors from Hong Kong China came from behind to score after the 80th minute to win 15 (2T 1C 1P) – 14 (2T 2C) at Racecourse to kick off the Asia Rugby Emirate Championship 2026.
Hong Kong China fielded 10 debutants while Sri Lanka too were with quite few changes as the two sides locked horns in the first game of the tournament.
It took the visitors 20-minutes to open the scoring as Dylan Mccann pierced the posts from the tee to punish Sri Lanka’s indiscipline. (SL 00-03 HKCR)
That was the only points in the first half as the two teams played out a scrappy 40-minutes with scrums and penalties plentiful.
Half Time: Sri Lanka 00 trail Hong Kong China 03 (1P)
The second half kicked off with the two teams received a talking to from the two coaches and this spurred on the visitors as they struck first through their big lock.
Glenn Hui was the first to cross over the white wash for either team as the big lock forward picked and went after a massive run from Dana Fourie. Dylan Mccann added the extras as the visitors lead went into double figures. (SL 00-10 HKCR)
The Sri Lankan three-quarter line failed to execute even though the forwards execution was much better.
On the 48th minute mark, Mccann’s loose pass was picked off by Thenuka Nanayakkara as he set up replacement Viduna Amaneth, sending over the replacement halfback over. Nanayakkara added the extras as the lead was reduced to 3-points. (SL 07-10 HKCR)
Nanayakkara has an opportunity to draw the hosts level, however, the shar-shooter pushed the ball wide as the scores remained the same.
On the hour mark, Sri Lanka struck through big man Naveen Marasinghe as the lock forward went crashing through to dot down for the hosts second of the evening, giving them a 4 point lead following Mursheed Zubair added the extras. (SL 14-10 HKCR)
Sri Lanka were knocking on the door which would not open as the visitors defence held firm in the next few minutes as pressure got to Sri Lanka with time left running out.
Billy Lung found himself on the wing, as skipper Dean Squire found the replacement hooker to dot down from a bouncing ball to snatch victory off the jaws of defeat.
Full Time: Sri Lanka 14 (2T 2C) lost to Hong Kong China 15 (2T 1C 1P)
Player of the Match: Vimukthi Gamage (Sri Lanka)
