An improved performance from Sri Lanka wasn’t enough to stop the clinical New Zealand U85kg side, who secured a 32–6 win in the second leg of the Sir Graham Henry Trophy, played under lights at Racecourse Stadium.
After a thrilling encounter in Nittawela last Sunday, the historic two-legged series between the touring New Zealand U85kg Rugby team and Sri Lanka moved to Colombo for its second game. A packed crowd under the lights at Racecourse eagerly gathered to witness the action as Tharinda Ratwatte got proceedings underway.
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Both sides showcased brilliant Rugby in the early stages, with the scores locked in the opening 10 minutes. However, it was the New Zealanders who eventually broke the deadlock with a moment of creativity. Skipper Jarred Percival executed a pinpoint cross-kick to winger Pieter Swarts, who followed up with a clever chip over Sri Lankan fullback Srinath Sooriyabandara. As Sooriyabandara failed to collect the bouncing ball cleanly, New Zealand fullback Francis Morrison swooped in, gathered the loose ball and offloaded back to Percival, who dived over for the opening try of the match. (SL 00-05 NZU85)
The visitors dominated possession following their opening try and nearly crossed the line on several occasions. A clearance kick from Tharinda Ratwatte looked to relieve pressure, but a fumble by Dinal Ekanayake allowed New Zealand fullback Francis Morrison to spark a counterattack. Winger Pieter Swarts gained valuable meters before creating space for Ben Megson, who drew in the Sri Lankan defenders and offloaded to Skipper Jarred Percival, sending him over for his second try of the game. (SL 00-10 NZU85)
Sri Lanka finally got on the board through a well-struck 35-meter penalty from Ratwatte, narrowing the deficit. However, it was all defense for the Tuskers as they conceded multiple penalties. The New Zealanders showed patience and control, building pressure with a series of powerful carries before working the ball wide for Swarts to finish in the corner. Percival, having missed two earlier conversions, nailed this one from the touchline. (SL 03-17 NZU85)
Sri Lanka had two promising opportunities late in the half, but were unable to convert them into points. Nonetheless, they showed grit in defense, holding off the relentless New Zealand attack in the dying moments to keep the game within reach.
Half Time: Sri Lanka 03 (1P) – New Zealand U85KG 17 (3T,1C)
Sri Lanka began the second half brightly and once again came agonizingly close to scoring, only to fall short in the finishing moments. They had to settle for three points as Tharinda Ratwatte confidently slotted a long-range penalty to keep the scoreboard ticking for the Tuskers. However, their momentum was short-lived. Straight from the restart, Sri Lanka conceded a breakdown penalty, and the visitors chose to go for the points. Eamon Reily made no mistake, cancelling out Ratwatte’s effort with a successful kick of his own. (SL 06-20 NZU85)
The New Zealand outfit found renewed momentum after the penalty, continuing their attack with purpose. They spread the ball wide to the corner, but Sri Lanka’s defence initially held firm. However, a powerful carry from the ensuing ruck by Josh Gellert proved too much to contain, as he powered over the line to score the first try of the second half. Eamon Reily added the extras with a superb conversion from the touchline to further extend the visitors’ lead. (SL 06-27 NZU85)
Sri Lanka’s discipline faltered in the second half, conceding a string of penalties that handed the advantage to the visitors. From an attacking scrum, the New Zealanders ignited a sharp move as replacement fly-half Eamon Reily sent in a perfectly weighted grubber kick, collected by Campbell Busby, who quickly offloaded to Francis Morrison. Morrison sliced through the Tuskers’ defence to score the final try of the game. With that, the New Zealand U85kg side clinched a 2-0 series win and lifted the Sir Graham Henry Trophy.
Full Time: Sri Lanka 06 (2P) – New Zealand U85KG 32 (5T,2C,1P)
CEAT Player of the Match: Ben Megson (New Zealand U85KG)
Points Breakdown
Sri Lanka 06
Tharinda Ratwatte 2P
New Zealand U85KG 32
Pieter Swarts 1T, Josh Gellert 1T, Francis Morrison 1T, Jarred Percival 2T,1C, Eamon Reily 1C,1P
