Defending champions CR & FC extended their unbeaten run with a hard-fought 27-16 victory over Air Force Sports Club in a closely contested Fifth-week fixture of the Mastercard Inter-Club ‘A’ Division Rugby League 2024/25 at Air Force Grounds in Ratmalana.
Chathuranga Perera kicked off the final game of Week 5 as the defending champions faced a determined Air Force side. Air Force’s defense was rock-solid in the first quarter, holding CR at bay. Their defensive efforts were rewarded in the 22nd minute when a breakdown infringement by CR gave away a penalty, which Gayantha Iddamalgoda calmly slotted over to break the deadlock. (Air Force 03-00 CR)
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CR were feeling the pressure as their attacking moves were effectively shut down by Air Force’s disciplined defense. However, a moment of individual brilliance from nippy scrum-half Viduna Amaneth shifted the momentum. Amaneth put pressure on the Air Force scrum-half, forcing them into an offside penalty. Seizing the opportunity, he quickly took a tap, and with the Air Force defense still unorganized, he executed a perfect sidestep to the outside and crossed over for the defending champions’ first try. (Air Force 03-05 CR)
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Air Force reclaimed the lead when CR & FC No. 8, Omalka Gunaratna, was penalized for a shoulder charge in defense. Gayantha Iddamalgoda made no mistake, converting the straightforward penalty to put the Airmen back in front.
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Just before the break, CR made valuable ground, first through their forwards and then with slick backline play. A series of smooth passes from the left wing to the right allowed Rinseh Silva to find the try line, scoring a crucial try. Zubair Doray then nailed the difficult conversion from the corner, giving CR a 6-point lead at halftime.
Half Time: Air Force SC 06 (2P) – CR & FC 12 (2T,1C)
The home side made a strong start, opting for the corner instead of taking points. They shifted from their usual rolling maul strategy to a well-executed training move. Scrum-half Vishal Aklanka collected the ball from the jumper, using the blindside to launch an attack. He offloaded to Shamika Kaushan, who powered past CR winger Rinseh Silva to score Air Force’s first try. Gayantha Iddamalgoda then landed a perfect conversion from the corner to give Air Force the lead.
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A few minutes later, Air Force continued to apply pressure on the CR defence, earning a penalty at the breakdown. Iddamalgoda kept his composure, slotting over another penalty to extend their lead to 4 points. (Air Force 16-12 CR)
The defending champions were struggling, but after making some tactical changes, their approach began to pay off. They shifted to a quicker, more fast-paced game, taking two quick taps that gained valuable meters towards the try line. The momentum swung in their favor when replacement second-rower Naveen Marasinghe powered through the Air Force defense to score a crucial try. With that, the tide began to turn in favor of the visitors. (Air Force 16-17 CR)
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CR & FC tried to exploit the rolling maul tactic from the penalties they received, but Air Force’s defense stood firm, preventing any progress. Forced to adapt, CR shifted to the kicking game. In the 71st minute, Zubair Doray calmly slotted a crucial penalty, extending their lead to 4 points. (Air Force 16-20 CR)
The last 5 minutes were fully dominated by the Longdon Place outfit as they pressed for their bonus-point try. CR forwards displayed patient play, using pick-and-drives to make steady progress. Their persistence paid off when Naveen Marasinghe powered through two defenders to touch down, securing the fourth try and the bonus point. With the win, CR & FC remained unbeaten, celebrating their fourth consecutive victory.
Full Time: Air Force SC 16 (1T,1C,3P) – CR & FC 27 (4T,2C,1P)
Player of the Match: Manilka Ruberu (CR & FC)
Points Breakdown
Air Force SC 16
Shamika Kaushan 1T, Gayantha Iddamalgoda 1C,3P
CR & FC 27
Viduna Amaneth 1T, Rinseh Silva 1T, Naveen Marasinghe 2T, Zubair Doray 2C,1P
