Rugby in the city of Kandy is a moderately popular sport. Before the arrival of rugby, this city was home to a game known as football, today this game is in the funeral parlour. So, now rugby is the number one sport at club and school level.
History makers of club rugby Kandy Sports Club won a turbulent, bloody match of rugby through sheer grit, mental strength and a complete lack of regard for their own safety. They are now ranked once again the number one team. They are the most remarkable side in recent memory.
The history of Sri Lanka rugby has never recorded a club rugby team so dominant since 1994.
In the past 23 years Kandy SC has dominated the league as no other team. They have won the title on 20 occasions and they are the only unbeaten club this season and heading the points table with 4 wins in 4 games, 27 tries, 16 conversions, 4 penalties giving them 179 points against 43, bonus points 3, and total points 23.
Last Saturday they beat Air Force SC at Nittawela by crossing the goal line on 9 occasions, through Dimitri Wijetunga, Tharindu Chathuranga, Fazil Marija, Richard Dharmapala, Anurudda Wilwara, Danush Dayan, Gayan Weeraratne and Srinath Sooriyabandara. Everyone knows the role undertaken by this side, and are all out to put on a good show in the rest of the matches.
Against Air Force SC they dominated the game from the kick-off, they have an insatiable hunger to win every single game they play. It looks like they cannot be beaten by any team. Kandy SC’s attacking style of play helps to drive their ability to demolish opponents, and they are blessed with some of the best rugby brains. The way they play rugby it is obviously an expensive game that many other teams don’t advocate. No one in the Kandy SC set-up is more important than the players.
Though Air Force SC lost they too played a game of rugby to their best of knowledge, whatever they tried that was the best they could do with a side of this calibre. For the Airmen on the field Kandy SC was too strong. For the defending champions Kandy SC everything seemed to be going well, especially in the second half. All the players were capable of adding flair to the traditional strength of a physical pack. From the opening moments of the kick off, it was nice to see Kandy SC handling the ball well in wet conditions.
They were marshaled by the brilliant captain Gayan Weeraratne. His box kicks and passes were on target and it was no coincidence that it was his darting run in the 44th minute that set up one of the tries. The pack showed more snarl than it has in the earlier games.
In the second half the first 30 minutes Kandy SC played with wonderful fluidity, exploiting Airmen’s lapses and lack of organization to rack up a points and the Airmen’s rugby systems started to creak and open holes.
At the final whistle from Ajith Kumara, the Kandy SC fans started cheering their favorite team players as they approached the dressing room. Next Saturday, it’s another opportunity for Kandy SC to display their wares, against CR & FC at Longden Place.
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