CR & FC delivered a dominant performance to comprehensively defeat Air Force SC in their Week 10 Maliban Inter-Club ‘A’ Division Rugby League 2025/26 encounter at Longdon Place, running in a convincing 38 – 05 victory.
CR & FC, fresh off their statement victory in Kandy last weekend, hosted Air Force Sports Club in their final fixture of the first round and wasted little time in asserting control. It took the home side just seven minutes to open the scoring as powerhouse Naveen Manasinghe made a strong carry over the gain line, before quick recycling and sharp passing sent winger Chemod Muthunayake over in the corner for the opening try. Mursheed Zubair produced a superb conversion to make it a perfect seven. (CR 07 – 00 Air Force)
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The Airmen earned three penalties soon after the restart but failed to capitalise on any of the opportunities, and CR made them pay at the other end. Opting for the corner, the hosts set up a rolling maul which was initially halted illegally. From the subsequent lineout, the CR forwards proved too strong to contain as Saufa Billivanua peeled off the back of the maul to score. Zubair once again added the extras to extend the lead. (CR 14 – 00 Air Force)
CR were briefly reduced to fourteen men when Januth Rathnayake was shown a yellow card for a high tackle, and Air Force took advantage of the numerical edge. Their rolling maul functioned to perfection this time, with Shamika Kawshan driven over by his pack to register the visitors’ opening try. (CR 14 – 05 Air Force)
However, the home side had the final say in the first half. Just before the interval, CR strung together a series of high-tempo phases that unsettled the Air Force defence. A perfectly timed running line from Omalka Gunaratne created the opening, and the Flanker powered through a couple of defenders to dot down for CR’s third try, giving the hosts a commanding 14-point lead at the break.
Half Time: CR & FC 19 (3T, 2C) – Air Force SC 05 (1T)
CR & FC picked up exactly where they left off, striking early in the second half as their forwards piled on the phases with powerful carries from Naveen Manasinghe and Omalka Gunaratne tearing into the Air Force defence. Quick thinking from scrum half Harsha Maduranga saw the ball shifted smartly to No. 08 Saufa Billivanua, who had a simple run in under the posts to complete his brace. Mursheed Zubair added the conversion as CR secured the all-important bonus point. (CR 26 – 05 Air Force)
The dominance continued with Air Force reduced to fourteen men after Gayantha Iddamalgoda was sent to the sin bin. CR once again turned to their rolling maul, and when it was halted just short of the line, Maduranga quickly spun the ball wide. A slick passing movement created space out wide, allowing winger Vishenka Silva to power past the final defender and extend the home side’s advantage. (CR 31 – 05 Air Force)
CR then produced the moment of the match with a stunning counter-attacking try. Turning over an Air Force lineout just five metres from their own line, the hosts launched a length-of-the-field move. Zubair’s perfectly weighted cross-kick picked out Pasindu Bandara, whose blistering pace took play beyond halfway before quick recycling brought the ball back to the fly-half. Zubair then put Naveen Manasinghe into space, and the big forward shrugged off multiple defenders to score a brilliant try. Zubair converted to cap a complete performance as CR & FC sealed a comprehensive victory and finished the first round proudly at the top of the table.
Full Time: – CR & FC 38 (6T,4C) – Air Force SC 05 (1T)
Swisstek Player of the Match: Abdul Ahamed (CR & FC)
Points Breakdown
CR & FC – 38
Chemod Muthunayake 1T, Saufa Billivanua 2T, Omalka Gunaratne 1T, Vishenka Silva 1T, Naveen Marasinghe 1T, Mursheed Zubair 4C
Air Force SC 05
Shamika Kaushan 1T
